Major employers say new hires must be AI literate

Large Canadian banks and tech firms are making AI literacy an expected skill for new recruits, and some employers report high internal use of generative AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot.

Major employers in Canadian tech and finance are increasingly expecting new hires to be fluent in using generative AI tools and to apply those tools in day-to-day work. Banks including Bank of Montreal and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce have rolled out AI systems across their workforces and are training staff. Tech firms and fintechs have updated hiring and performance practices to reflect AI use, while researchers and central bankers have noted early labour-market effects. These developments follow rapid advances in generative AI capabilities since 2023. Key points: - The article reports that Bank of Montreal describes AI as a core skill for incoming staff and says more than 90 per cent of its 53,000 employees now use Microsoft Copilot at work. - The article reports that Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce introduced an internal AI tool called CIBC AI ("CAI") and has trained over 46,000 team members on responsible AI practices. - The article reports that Shopify required managers to justify new hires against AI solutions in a 2025 memo and said AI use will factor into performance reviews. - The article reports that Wealthsimple’s Launchpad internship expects candidates to be AI-native and asks applicants for examples of using AI to improve processes. - The article cites a Statistics Canada survey showing about 12 per cent of Canadian businesses had adopted AI substantially as of last December. - The article cites recent research and commentary that show increased AI assistance in work (a panel finding 18 per cent of U.S. work hours assisted by AI) and a Stanford paper suggesting a drop in entry-level U.S. jobs; the Bank of Canada noted limited labour-market impact so far with early signs of fewer entry-level roles. Summary: Employers are formalizing AI literacy through training, hiring questions and revised performance expectations, and some firms report widespread internal use of AI tools. Undetermined at this time.