Google executive joins Toronto's Radical Ventures to help fund Canadian AI startups

Google's chief Canadian spokesman is leaving to become a partner with Radical Ventures, a Toronto venture-capital firm that has emerged as a leading backer of domestic artificial intelligence startups. Aaron Brindle, who has led public affairs for Google Canada for more than eight years – a period that has seen the Silicon Valley search giant establish its leadership in the global AI field in part by hiring renowned University of Toronto scientist Geoffrey Hinton – will join Radical at the end of February. He will oversee public affairs for the firm and help companies in its portfolio craft their communications. "I'm very familiar with the AI space and recognize there's fear and a lot of hype around the technology," Mr. Brindle said in an interview. "My job is to help nurture and support the AI narrative in the country. There's a capacity to effect real change around how we talk about this technology," not just around privacy and ethical concerns, but around its commercial potential.