The future of science: Perimeter and Volta's AI & tech panel in Halifax

Perimeter Institute brought its 25^th anniversary celebrations to Halifax tonight with an event hosted in collaboration with Volta, Atlantic Canada’s startup hub. The highlight of the night was a panel discussion on “AI, Physics, and Tech Innovation” with Volta CEO Matt Cooper, Perimeter Postdoctoral Researcher Anindita Maiti, and Perimeter Outreach Scientist Damian Pope, moderated by Perimeter’s Director of External Relations, Emily Petroff.

For Petroff, coming to Halifax was essential for Perimeter’s cross-Canada tour and celebrations.

“Perimeter is a national organization, and the 25^th anniversary celebrations are a vehicle to build and strengthen our relationships in many different sectors,” said Petroff. “We already have a big affiliate and teacher network here in Atlantic Canada, and there’s a lot of exciting stuff happening in Halifax. The innovation ecosystem, the entrepreneurship and innovation happening at Dalhousie, the interconnectedness of the universities and tech communities here – it has a lot in common with Waterloo Region and there's a lot of opportunities for synergies.”

One field where those synergies could show up is the AI space, and panellists from both Perimeter and Volta expressed optimism for its future. AI is already having an impact on the tech sector and startups. It is being used by researchers and innovators alike, and there are new opportunities – as well as challenges – ahead. The discussion struck at the intersection of research and innovation that has been the mainstay of Perimeter’s mission since its founding in 2000, and that Canadian accelerators like Volta work to spur ahead.

Volta CEO Matt Cooper discussed how AI is widening the pool of talent at Volta’s startups, and speeding up their ability to bring products to market. “In the last six months, particularly the last 90 days, there's been a flip… Being able to have that back and forth (with an AI tool) is allowing our founders to come up with an idea and turn it into a viable product in literally hours,” Cooper explained. 

AI is proving particularly helpful for founders with great ideas but who lack a technical background, he says. “People that don't know how to code, but they do have an idea, and they have a problem that they want to try to solve – you used to need to be able to build a technology – that's no longer the case. Now anyone that wants to spend time on the problem can actually build a solution.”

“That acceleration, I think, is probably the biggest shift,” he concluded.

Perimeter’s Anindita Maiti, who works on AI interpretability and its applications in physics, discussed the way AI’s role in physics is changing, with exciting prospects for future research. 

“There is a current ongoing momentum that we expect to become a boom in about next five to 10 years, where (AI will) no longer just be a data fitting tool for physics, but it will actually help physicists uncover hidden symmetries and hidden patterns of the data,” she said. “So a data fitting tool will not be a data fitting tool, it will become a data recognizing tool. It will become a data prediction tool.”

Cooper also mentioned his excitement about topological states of matter and quantum computing, especially after Microsoft’s announcement of the Majorana 1 quantum chip. 

Perimeter’s Damian Pope, meanwhile, said he is excited about the convergence of quantum and AI technology, and the ways they can come together to tackle some of the major challenges in our future. “Quantum and AI, they seem abstract, but they have the potential to help solve big, real-world problems on a global scale,” he said. 

“There are people within quantum and AI fields that are looking to build better, more efficient batteries that can store energy more efficiently, or speed up and improve the process of carbon capture. They're still in the early days, but even though these are very abstract tools, potentially they'll be able to really help humanity.”

The event was followed by a networking opportunity for local entrepreneurs, researchers, and tech innovators.

Perimeter heads across Canada

Tonight’s event is part of Perimeter’s nationwide celebration of its 25^th anniversary, bringing theoretical physics to classrooms, board rooms, and innovation hubs from coast to coast. Perimeter’s award-winning educational outreach team was in Halifax for the week leading up to the panel, hosting educational workshops and training programs to promote science and physics. Similar events are planned for cities across Canada during 2025, including Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Vancouver.

As part of its mission to unravel the mysteries of space, time, and the laws of nature, Perimeter works closely with private and public institutions to train the next generation of scientists and unlock new areas of innovation. Today’s event with Volta exemplifies Perimeter’s mission to bring important research and technological innovation together.

“This event strikes at the core of what we do at Perimeter: bringing together people who are supporters and champions of science,” said Petroff. “It’s a room full of people who might not otherwise be together, from university researchers and teachers to people in the tech and innovation sector. We also saw a healthy appetite from the public in Halifax that shows that there's a real curiosity about Perimeter and the conversation at the event.”