PwC & Cohere launch Canadian enterprise AI alliance

PwC and Cohere have formed a global alliance focused on enterprise artificial intelligence, with the partnership launching first in Canada.

The arrangement is designed to help organisations move beyond limited AI pilots and into broader deployment, particularly in sectors where data privacy, governance and sovereignty requirements have slowed adoption.

Under the alliance, Cohere will provide its North agentic AI platform, enterprise models, and search and retrieval tools. PwC will help clients identify use cases, assess regulatory and risk requirements, redesign workflows, set governance controls, connect systems and data, and support implementation.

The partnership targets a common problem in corporate AI programmes. Many businesses have trialled generative AI tools, but fewer have been able to roll them out across large organisations while meeting internal controls and external compliance obligations.

The challenge is particularly acute in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare and government, where rules on data handling and infrastructure can limit the use of public or shared AI systems. The alliance will support private-cloud, on-premises and air-gapped deployments for clients that need tighter control over sensitive information.

Domenic Marino, Senior Partner and Chief Executive Officer of PwC Canada, outlined the rationale for the partnership.

"AI has the potential to reshape how organizations operate and create value, but realizing that potential requires more than technology," said Domenic Marino, Senior Partner and Chief Executive Officer of PwC Canada.

"By combining PwC's industry, transformation and risk expertise with Cohere's secure enterprise AI capabilities, we can help clients move from experimentation to measurable outcomes, particularly in regulated industries where trust and data sovereignty are essential," Marino said.

Deployment focus

Clients will be able to apply AI to several operational uses, including enterprise search, knowledge access, content generation, decision support and task automation. The emphasis is on systems connected to a company's own data and business processes rather than stand-alone tools used in isolation.

As part of broader transformation work, PwC will help organisations decide where AI can improve or automate workflows, where human judgement should remain, and how accountability and performance should be measured.

Cohere's role in the alliance centres on supplying models and products that can be deployed across different technical environments. That includes installations designed to keep data inside a client's own infrastructure, an area that has become more important as businesses weigh the legal and operational risks tied to external AI services.

Aidan Gomez, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cohere, said control over data and infrastructure remained a central concern for large companies.

"Enterprises need AI that can deliver real capability without forcing them to give up control of their data, infrastructure or security," said Aidan Gomez, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cohere.

"Cohere is built for that environment, with cutting-edge foundation models and end-to-end AI products designed to run where organizations need them and work with the data that powers their business. Together with PwC, we can help companies move from promising use cases to AI that is securely deployed at production scale, deeply integrated and delivering real value," Gomez said.

Canadian start

Beginning in Canada places the first phase of the alliance in a market where both companies already have a strong presence. PwC Canada has more than 6,500 partners and staff across the country, while Cohere is headquartered in Toronto and also has operations in San Francisco and Germany.

The launch also comes as Canadian businesses face growing pressure to show returns on AI spending. After a wave of experimentation across customer service, internal search, software development and office productivity, attention has shifted to whether companies can integrate these systems into core operations without creating new compliance or security problems.

PwC's work in the alliance will include risk management, regulatory review and systems integration, alongside changes to workflows and operating models. These services are intended to address one of the main barriers to wider AI use in large organisations: the gap between testing a tool and embedding it in day-to-day business processes.

Annie Veillet, Chief Technology Officer of PwC Canada, said governance and oversight would be central to that process.

"Building trust in AI starts with ensuring it operates securely within an organization's own technology and data environments, with clear governance, explainability, and human oversight built in from the start," said Annie Veillet, Chief Technology Officer of PwC Canada.

"Cohere's flexible, sovereign deployment options, combined with PwC's implementation and AI risk management capabilities, enable clients to connect AI to the systems and knowledge that power their business without compromising control, transparency, or accountability," Veillet said.