In a recent speech, BlackBerry co-founder Jim Balsillie highlighted the significant societal costs associated with the modern digital era, which he described as a "new era of human commodification." Speaking at the Ditchley Foundation’s conference in Ottawa, Balsillie expressed concern over how personal data is exploited. He stated, "The data generated by our experiences, choices, and even our thoughts, are captured, processed, and traded as raw material for manipulative algorithms deployed for profit and power, all with catastrophic costs to society, including mental health crisis, democratic erosion, societal polarization, lost economic dynamism and misinformation to name a few."

Balsillie argued that the current economy prioritizes soft assets, such as intellectual property and data, over traditional hard assets. He noted, "With the shift to a knowledge-based economy 35 years ago, companies and countries focused on strategically generating valuable IP assets, and more recently, to strategically controlling valuable data assets. Wealth accrues to the owners who amass these two rent-generating assets."

He criticized Canada for lacking a national data strategy and for having limited programs to develop its intellectual property assets, which he estimated costs the country around $100 billion annually. Balsillie urged a reevaluation of Canada’s approach to innovation, advocating for a shift towards strategies that enhance productivity, prosperity, and sovereignty in the 21st-century economy. He pointed out that Canada’s GDP growth is lagging behind that of other nations, particularly the United States, stating, "Because Canada missed the shift, we are seeing Canada’s standard of living in steady decline."

Balsillie highlighted that Canada invests $7.5 billion in research each year but lacks a coherent strategy to capitalize on these investments. He suggested that legislation could help Canada retain ownership of its intellectual property. He noted that while Canadian research has laid the groundwork for advancements in artificial intelligence, the country is not among the top 100 patent holders globally. He remarked, "AI is transforming industries at scale in ways we haven’t seen since the rise of the internet."

The speech also addressed broader economic changes, including globalization and the rise of gig work, which have reshaped the labor market. Balsillie identified machine knowledge as a new factor of production that must be considered in this evolving landscape.

To address the challenges posed by rights violations and the struggling Canadian economy, Balsillie proposed a four-point plan. This plan includes protecting national security in the digital age, ensuring fair access to new economic means, enhancing citizen welfare in areas such as privacy and mental health, and adhering to international agreements. He concluded, "Helping shape this in an integrated fashion is technically complex but also an opportunity and imperative for Canada."

At 64, Balsillie is recognized for his role as co-CEO of Research in Motion, which later became known for its BlackBerry device. He is also the founder of the Balsillie School of International Affairs and the Centre for Canadian Innovation.