Military commander vows fast action on AI and robots, sees 'untapped potential' for Canada | CBC News

At robotics conference, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command says 'imagination is your only limitation'

A top Canadian Forces commander says the military will rapidly buy more low-cost, autonomous and reusable weapons systems and equipment as it faces a rising tide of global threats.

Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command (CJFC), spoke at the Canadian Robotics Council 2026 Symposium on Monday, telling members of Canada's tech industry to stand by for a surge in purchase orders amid a "massive recapitalization of major platforms."

"This industry in Canada has so much untapped potential," the former fighter pilot told a room full of robotics entrepreneurs attending a panel discussion in Toronto. "Your imagination is your only limitation on the use cases for robotics paired with AI."

Molstad's remarks about embracing artificial intelligence-powered military hardware come as world leaders and prominent tech executives debate how to handle rapid advances in AI safely.

Powerful AI models have escaped human control, as was the case in July, when OpenAI agents hacked into a rival firm. Some leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, say the technology is evolving too fast.

While autonomous hardware like drones are frequently associated with front-line combat, Molstad spelled out potential across the military, including medical diagnostic support, supply depot logistics and automated military police vehicle inspections. 

"We see MPs [military police] that are inspecting vehicles with a mirror underneath the car. I'm pretty sure that's a use case for a robot with AI integrated to do that — and a lot better than humans can do it," he said. 

"Our supply depots are still locked, in some ways, in the '80s and '90s technologies. We do not necessarily need to recreate an Amazon fulfilment centre, but we need to move from the '80s to something in between that is suitable for defence needs."

On the combat side, Molstad said CJFC has already established a list of 399 pre-qualified vendors for the Canadian military's Defence Drone Initiative. He expects more formal requests for proposals (RFPs) will follow as Canada's military leans deeper into new technologies.

"We're closer to a major global conflict than we've ever been in [the] history of our country since the major wars," he said.

"We have to modernize as fast as we possibly can to give our soldiers, sailors, aviators and special operators the tools that they need to be able to deter. Because none of us want to actually fight a war."