Concordia’s Applied AI Institute appoints new co-directors
Suchit Ahuja and Nizar Bouguila
Concordia has appointed Nizar Bouguila and Suchit Ahuja as new co-directors of the university’s Applied AI Institute (AI2). The professors will guide the institute’s next phase in applied and responsible AI, bringing complementary expertise that reflects AI2’s understanding of artificial intelligence as simultaneously technical, social and political.
“Applied AI demands leadership that understands both the technology and its consequences,” says Tim Evans, vice-president of research, innovation and impact. “This co-directorship strengthens AI2’s ability to translate advanced AI research into practice, while keeping questions of responsibility, governance and public impact front and centre.”
Cross-disciplinary, collaborative leadership
Bouguila is a professor in the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering in the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science. His research focuses on probabilistic modeling, computer vision and data analytics, and has been recognized internationally. He has led large-scale funded research projects while contributing to the growth of AI research capacity across Quebec. Bouguila also holds a Tier 1 Concordia Research Chair in Applied Artificial Intelligence.
Ahuja is an associate professor in supply chain and business technology management at the John Molson School of Business. His research examines how AI systems operate within organizational, policy and community contexts, with a focus on responsible AI, digital innovation and questions of access and impact. His leadership includes interdisciplinary and province-wide initiatives such as the Master of Science in Business Analytics and Technology Management and the Quebec Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub.
Together, their experience spans engineering, computer science, business, social innovation and public engagement. This range supports AI2’s mandate to connect foundational AI methods with real-world deployment, governance and public accountability. Both bring strong knowledge of the institutional environment and the Quebec AI ecosystem, as well as networks across industry, government and community that support collaborative, engaged leadership.
Building on a strong foundation
The institute’s departing co-directors, Tristan Glatard and Fenwick McKelvey, made key contributions to AI2, helping shape its direction and identity.
Under their direction, the Applied AI Institute established its foundational research programs, built key interdisciplinary partnerships and expanded its membership and internal team. Glatard and McKelvey also drafted the institute’s guiding principles, which continue to shape AI2’s research priorities, collaborations and relationships.
Their vision positioned AI2 as a distinctive space for applied, real-world AI that responds to public interest and advances responsible innovation within the Canadian AI ecosystem.
