By Pamela Wilton | Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
This piece was written in collaboration with The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce as part of the Manitoba AI Pathways.
If you’ve been paying attention to the conversation around artificial intelligence lately, you might think Manitobans are split: half excited, half alarmed. And in some ways, that’s exactly right.
According to new research from Probe Research, more than half of Manitobans now hold a negative view of AI, a significant shift from just a year ago, when opinions were more evenly spread. The number of people with a “very negative” view has nearly doubled in 12 months. And the neutral middle ground is shrinking fast: only one in ten Manitobans sit there now, down from three in ten last year.
Views are hardening quickly.
But here’s what makes that picture more complicated and more interesting. Two-thirds of those same Manitobans have used an AI tool in the past year. The technology is already woven into daily life.
The real question is whether Manitoba businesses are ready.
What Businesses Are Actually Saying
Late last year, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce surveyed 195 Manitoba businesses to understand where they really stand on AI. The results paint a picture of a business community that is curious and cautiously engaged.
They’re also stuck.
The vast majority of businesses (85%) are already using AI tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. That’s a high number. But scratch the surface, and a different story emerges: only one in five have a documented AI strategy or policy. Fewer than one in six have any dedicated staff or expertise for AI oversight. Most AI use is driven by individual experimentation. It’s not yet a coordinated, organization-wide strategy.
In other words, businesses are using AI, but they’re largely winging it.
The top barrier, cited by 68% of respondents, is simply not having enough time, capacity, or technical expertise. After that comes uncertainty about return on investment, difficulty identifying the right use cases, and concerns about legal and privacy requirements.
These are the concerns of businesses that want to move forward but don’t quite know how.
The Gap Between Fear and Reality
One of the most striking findings from the Probe Research data is the disconnect between public perception and business reality when it comes to jobs. More than three-quarters of Manitobans worry that AI will take jobs away. But when you ask business leaders directly, only 8% say they expect to reduce their headcount because of AI, down from 14% the year before.
The vast majority expect no change to how many people they employ.
This is a significant disconnect.
When public anxiety outpaces business reality, it can slow adoption, fuel resistance, and leave organizations without the support or confidence they need to move forward thoughtfully.
Manitobans are right to want guardrails. According to Probe Research, nearly all (95%) say AI-generated content should be clearly labelled, and only 3 in 10 feel enough safeguards are currently in place.
Businesses need both accountability and practical support.
Enter MAP: The Manitoba AI Pathways Program
The Manitoba AI Pathways program (MAP) is built to fill that gap.
MAP is a new AI adoption training program led by the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the wider Chamber network, supported and funded by the Province of Manitoba. The program is designed specifically to meet Manitoba businesses where they are.
Not where they should be. Not where the tech sector wishes they were. Where they actually are.
That means hands-on training, practical resources, and peer community, the top three things businesses told us they need. It also means taking seriously the ethical and governance questions that Manitoba businesses genuinely care about. Our survey found that capabilities like ethical AI use, bias detection, and responsible governance policies ranked among the most important skills businesses want to develop.
The goal is getting AI right, not just boosting productivity.
Start With Where You Are
One of the first tools available through MAP is the AI Readiness Assessment, developed in partnership with the Manitoba Association of AI Professionals. It’s a free, practical online tool that takes under 15 minutes. It scores your organization across twelve capability areas, benchmarks you against other Manitoba businesses, and gives you a short list of concrete next steps. Plain language, no jargon, just a clear picture of where to begin.
Because that’s ultimately what the data tells us Manitobans want: a thoughtful, supported path forward.
They just needed a map to get there.
Now they have one.
For more information please contact:
Kay Gardiner | Manitoba Chambers of Commerce | [email protected]
Sanjana Vijayann | Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce | [email protected]
