Advance the impact of AI with the MPS in Applied AI degree in Toronto
April 22, 2026
For years, Toronto has ranked among North America’s top technology hubs. Now, as artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates across industries, a new opportunity is emerging: turning AI’s potential into real-world impact.
Even as investment and momentum grow, many organizations are struggling to scale AI effectively. A 2025 Statistics Canada survey on business conditions found that only 12.2% of businesses reported using AI to produce goods or deliver services. Relatedly, research from KPMG shows that just over one-quarter of Canadian business leaders have deployed agentic AI in production, while 64% remain in exploration or pilot stage.
It’s exactly this gap that’s creating an opening for professionals who not only understand AI but can also design and implement AI-driven solutions.
In response, Northeastern University’s Toronto campus has launched a new program: the Master of Professional Studies in Applied AI (MPS in Applied AI) and the MPS in Applied AI – Connect option for those without a technical background.
The Market for a Career in Artificial Intelligence in Toronto
Dr. John Wilder is an assistant teaching professor in the College of Professional Studies, which offers the program. A champion of the professional importance of understanding new tech below the surface, he played a key role in developing the MPS in Applied AI.
“If you are a working professional in an AI-adjacent field and need to scale your skills to climb the ladder or want to change your focus, you’re a good candidate for the program,” Dr. Wilder says. “You will be prepared to implement and use the most relevant algorithms in your industry, and we keep an eye on what’s coming next.”
In a city like Toronto, where major industries range from financial services and health sciences to film/media and technology, that bodes well for leaders who can effectively implement AI while considering ethics.
One of the Greater Toronto Area’s hospital networks, Trillium Health Partners, recently held an AI contest with the goal of coming up with solutions to improve healthcare. It received more than 60 submissions. Major players like Etsy, LG, and Samsung all chose Toronto to host their AI initiatives. And in finance, RBC has retained its position as the world’s third-most advanced bank in AI as the race among lenders to adopt and deploy AI intensifies.
Such advancements place students at Northeastern University in Toronto in the heart of the action. With the university’s downtown location and experiential learning model, opportunities such as co-ops, industry projects, and mentorship connect students directly with employers.
“Our goal is to incorporate as much experiential learning as we can,” says Wilder. “We give students real-world problems to solve right away, including intro courses using external partners’ real datasets. Those sorts of projects will give students tangible proof for future employers of their capabilities.”
Innovating with the MPS in Applied AI Degree in Toronto
Northeastern University in Toronto’s MPS in Applied AI degree program focuses on practical, career-ready skills that underscore human-centred solutions, including key management and ethical issues throughout the data lifecycle.
Two experience-based entry points make the program accessible to a wide range of professionals. Those with programming and statistical experience can opt for the core degree program. The Connect offering, meanwhile, incorporates three bridge courses to bring those without technical experience up to speed. It introduces them to the basics of programming with Python and the underlying math that drives machine learning.
No matter their pathway into the program, students build a strong foundation in modern AI concepts. They also apply them in areas such as computer vision, natural language processing, and probabilistic learning.
The program, Wilder says, works on a unique premise: It leads with the end product and shows students how to make it.
“We give students the code to take what other people have done, stand on the shoulders of giants, and make use of it for real-world applications,” he says. “As the course progresses, students peel back the layers of the onion to uncover the algorithms under the surface.”
Personalizing the MPS in Applied AI Toronto Journey
To help students apply their learning to their careers and meet evolving industry demands, the MPS in Applied AI features three concentrations.
A conversational AI track teaches students to design and deploy intelligent systems that enhance user experiences and business operations. A cybersecurity pathway delves into threat detection, malware classification, and network security, leveraging machine learning to identify and respond to risks. An imaging concentration applies AI to analyze and interpret visual data, including medical scans such as MRIs and CTs.
“Concentrations were designed to have a low level of overlap, but all generative AI is based on deep learning models,” Wilder says. “So, deep learning classes will be relevant for every concentration due to their importance.”
In Toronto, where organizations are working to translate AI into impactful solutions, professionals who can apply these technologies will be at the forefront of solving complex business challenges. Northeastern University’s MPS in Applied AI is designed to equip them with the skills to do exactly that.
By: Izabela Shubair
