U of A: Top AI University in Canada

The University of Alberta has been recognized by U.S. News as the top university in Canada and 53rd globally for artificial intelligence. This is thanks to the U of A’s impactful research, strategic partnerships, and dedication to shaping the future of AI.

The U.S. News 2025-2026 Best Global Universities Rankings measure both research strength and academic reputation.

Bill Flanagan, president and vice-chancellor, says that this recognition is a testament to the groundbreaking work of the faculty and students. He notes that artificial intelligence is one of the U of A’s global areas of excellence. He adds that advances in AI have the potential to transform society.

AI Research at U of A

U of A researchers are using their expertise for projects such as:

• Helping emergency doctors save time and improve patient care with an AI note-taking tool
• Evaluating the total amount of boreal forest available to mitigate climate change
• Creating apps that allow people with disabilities to overcome mobility obstacles

Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell, dean and vice provost of theCollege of Natural + Applied Sciences, says that this ranking underscores the University of Alberta’s reputation as a leader in artificial intelligence, machine learning and reinforcement learning. She notes that the ranking speaks volumes about the impact of the university's research.

Partnerships and Initiatives

The university has partnerships with industry, such as the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), and 24 Canada CIFAR AI Chairs including Richard Sutton. In May 2025, the College of Health Sciences launched the AI + Health Hub, which seeks to fast track solutions to health-care challenges.

For the 2025 ranking, U.S. News evaluated 2,250 of the world’s top universities, considering measures including publications and citations to determine research performance.

Earlier this month, the U of A was ranked eighth in the world for its impact on sustainability by the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings and rose to 94th in the world and fourth in Canada in the 2026 QS World University Rankings.