Canada and Mexico on Tuesday called for renewing the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) for another 16 years. Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc made the proposal in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer and Mexican Finance Minister Marcelo Ebrard, emphasizing that the agreement binds the three countries under a unified trade framework. LeBlanc later described a meeting in Washington on the pact’s future as positive and said discussions would continue in the coming days and weeks.

The USMCA is vital for both Canada and Mexico, as the United States is their main trading partner, accounting for roughly 75 and 80 percent of their exports respectively. The countries must inform by July 1 whether they wish to renew the agreement or renegotiate its terms. Although President Donald Trump signed the USMCA during his first term, he has recently questioned its relevance, imposed tariffs on key Canadian sectors, and made controversial remarks about Canada’s economic dependence on the U.S.

U.S. and Mexican officials recently concluded initial talks on possible amendments to the pact. Greer indicated support for retaining parts of the current agreement, while LeBlanc noted that trade among the three nations has grown 32 percent since the USMCA took effect in 2020.

Across the United States and Canada, companies are increasingly deploying AI agents—systems capable of planning, reasoning, and executing multistep tasks—to handle work once done by humans. At Snowflake, engineers now rely on AI agents to review product designs, assist during outages, and complete coding projects, freeing staff for higher-level decision-making. Similar tools from firms like Anthropic and Convictional are being used to assign tasks, manage workflows, and even evaluate employee performance, signaling a shift in how organizations operate.

This transformation coincides with widespread layoffs in white-collar sectors, as major employers including Amazon, UPS, and General Motors cite AI-driven efficiency as a factor in job cuts. Analysts estimate that 6–7 percent of U.S. workers could be displaced by AI adoption, with middle management facing the greatest disruption. Yet surveys show that most executives have not yet realized financial benefits from AI, and many job reductions reflect anticipation of future gains rather than current capabilities.

Experts warn that trust and psychological acceptance remain major barriers to successful AI integration. Some companies, such as Convictional, are experimenting with new work models to share productivity gains and maintain employee confidence, while others are setting limits to preserve human connection and oversight.