AI for the Good of All - Brazilian Perspectives on the Future of AI

Abstract

The Brazilian government used the AI Impact Summit’s main plenary to showcase the nation’s “Intelligence Artificial for the Good of All” (PBI/IA) strategy. Six ministers presented concrete programme pillars—ranging from super‑computing infrastructure, data‑sovereignty, digital inclusion, and public‑service AI, to education, health, and international governance. The session highlighted a $23 billion investment plan through 2028, a suite of concrete actions (e.g., a national super‑computer, 8 000 new AI degree slots, 138 000 schools connected to high‑speed broadband, and a regional AI research hub in the Northeast). The ministers also announced new policies on data‑governance, AI‑ethics frameworks, and international cooperation (BRICS, South‑South, and UN‑based AI governance). The President’s vision was reiterated throughout: AI must advance human dignity, reduce inequality, and safeguard Brazil’s digital sovereignty.

Detailed Summary

The session began with a formal welcome to the AI Impact Summit’s plenary. The chair highlighted the “decisive moment” for AI globally, stressing the need to align innovation with responsibility and human dignity. The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was invoked as the political anchor of Brazil’s AI agenda, but no extended speech from the President was recorded. The chair announced that six ministers would deliver statements outlining Brazil’s national AI programme.

2. Minister Luciana Santos – Science, Technology & Innovation

2.1 Overview of the Brazilian AI Strategy (PBIA)

Programme name: Plano Brasileiro de Inteligência Artificial (PBIA), launched by President Lula in 2024 and detailed in 2025 under the banner “IA for the Good of All”.
Funding envelope: **R $23 bi ll i o n * * (\approx U S$  4.5 billion) earmarked through 2028 – already 30 % (R$ 7 billion) spent.
Strategic pillars (five “eixos”):
1. Infrastructure & Development – super‑computing, cloud services, high‑performance computing (HPC).
2. Diffusion, Training & Capacity‑Building – scholarships, graduate programmes, public‑private training.
3. AI for Public‑Service Improvement – AI‑enabled citizen services, data‑driven policy.
4. AI for Business Innovation – support for startups, risk‑tolerant R&D.
5. Regulatory & Governance Support – standards, ethics, oversight mechanisms.

2.2 Concrete Milestones

Super‑computer acquisition: a petaflop‑scale system (10¹⁸ operations/s) to feed national AI workloads.
Human‑capital expansion: 8 000 new undergraduate slots + scholarships; total AI‑related enrolments now exceed 73 000 nationwide.
Funding for innovative firms: R$ 6 billion via FINEP and BNDES for AI‑centric companies.
Algorithmic‑Transparency Center: national hub to audit public‑sector AI algorithms.

2.3 Digital Sovereignty & Data Governance

Emphasised that data‑strategic assets must stay under Brazilian jurisdiction.
Cited President Lula’s remarks: “When few control the algorithms and digital infrastructure, we face domination, not innovation.”
Outlined a national data‑infrastructure (cloud‑government, SINAPAD – National High‑Performance Computing System) and a roadmap for RISC‑V chips, domestic LLMs in Portuguese, and semiconductor capability.

2.4 International Collaboration

South‑South & BRICS partnerships for technology transfer.
Ongoing negotiations for a sub‑marine cable linking BRICS members to improve latency and security for the Latin‑American digital economy.

2.5 Closing Emphasis

Stressed that AI must be a state policy, not a sectoral project, to guarantee longevity and public‑interest orientation.

3. Minister Frederico de Siqueira Filho – Communications

3.1 Infrastructure as the Bedrock of AI

Linked AI progress to telecoms, data‑centre, and connectivity expansion.
Current coverage: 70 % of the population already has 5G, ahead of the 2027 target.
Investment: US  $4 bi ll i o n * * in d i g i t a l in c l u s i o n p ro j ec t s, o f w hi c h * * U S$  1 billion will fund high‑speed connectivity for 138 000 public schools.

3.2 Reducing Regional Inequalities

“Norte Conectado” – 14 000 km of sub‑fluvial fiber‑optic cable in the Amazon, reaching 7.5 million riverine communities; budget US $ 300 million.
Emphasised environmental stewardship: the project avoids deforestation of 68 million trees.

3.3 Data‑Centre & Sub‑Marine Cable Policies

Brazil’s data‑centre market already accounts for ≈ 50 % of Latin America’s installed capacity (US $ 4.7 billion revenue in 2024).
New national data‑centre law to incentivise domestic investment, energy‑sustainable design, and geographic decentralisation.
Sub‑marine cable policy to transform Brazil into a global digital hub, adding redundancy, reducing latency, and strengthening digital‑sovereignty.

3.4 Governance & Regulation

Announced a regulatory framework for data‑centres to guarantee legal certainty for foreign investors while protecting national interests.

3.5 Closing Note

Reiterated that responsible AI depends on a robust, inclusive, and secure digital infrastructure.

4. Minister Esther Dweck – Management & Innovation in Public Services

4.1 AI for Public‑Service Transformation (Eixo 3)

Reported that 182 AI solutions are already deployed across 58 federal agencies (as of 2025).
Identified major bottlenecks: lack of technical capacity, insufficient financing, and data‑quality issues.

4.2 Ethical & Technical Standards

Launched a national AI ethics framework covering the entire lifecycle: data collection, model training, deployment, and monitoring.
Emphasised human‑in‑the‑loop supervision for high‑risk decisions.

4.3 National Data‑Infrastructure

Implemented a Brazilian National Data Infrastructure (BNDI) – a suite of norms, standards, and tools for interoperable, sovereign data sharing across federal, state, and municipal levels.
Highlighted successful pilots: Cadastro Ambiental Rural (8 M+ records) and Meu Imóvel Rural (300 k+ users).

4.4 Capacity‑Building Programme

Eight free training tracks (≈ 200 hours each) for four public‑sector personas: team leaders, IT managers, data curators, and general officials.
Developed an ethical impact auto‑assessment framework and a guidelines suite for responsible generative AI usage.

4.5 Flagship Projects

Project	Goal	Partners
Centro de IA do Nordeste	Regional AI hub for public services, health, education, security	Federal agency, private firms, Northeastern states, Universities (UFC, UFRN, UFPB, UFPI)
INSPiRe – IA no Serviço Público	Scale AI solutions with higher sovereignty	CPQD, national companies, private innovators
Ideia Terra Brasil	Integrate land‑registry, environmental, climate data to combat illegal deforestation, accelerate land regularisation, and broaden rural credit	Multi‑agency consortium, NGOs, academia

4.6 Closing Message

Stressed that AI must serve people first, safeguard the planet, and be governed responsibly.

5. Minister Camilo Santana – Education

5.1 AI as an Enabler of Equitable Education

Presented the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) – a real‑time data‑exchange platform linking all 5 500 municipalities and 26 states.

5.2 Policy Instruments

Reference Framework for Responsible AI in Education – released publicly (also in English).
National Schools Connected Strategy – target: raise connected schools from 40 % to 70 % within three years (2026).

5.3 Teacher Empowerment

Launched a Digital Pedagogy Reference and a Digital Skills Curriculum for teachers.
Offered > 400 free online courses, amassing 3 M+ registered users.

5.4 Higher‑Education Initiatives

14 new AI‑focused undergraduate programmes in federal universities (2025).
Expansion of post‑graduate slots, aiming to increase the pipeline of AI researchers and engineers.

5.5 Innovation Sandbox

Created an AI regulatory sandbox for universities, startups, and firms to test educational AI solutions under controlled conditions.

5.6 Public‑Facing AI Tools

MEC Enem – free AI‑assisted exam‑prep platform.
Upcoming releases: MEC Livros (AI‑curated digital library) and MEC Idiomas (AI‑driven language learning).

5.7 Balancing Technology & Well‑Being

Discussed a law restricting smartphone use in schools, citing early positive impacts on classroom focus and health.

5.8 Closing Thought

Education is the “bridge” that will let AI benefit all citizens without deepening existing inequalities.

6. Minister Alexandre Padilha – Health

6.1 Brazil’s Health‑AI Landscape

Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS) serves > 100 M people, delivering massive preventive‑care, vaccination, and transplant services.

6 Digital Health Infrastructure

Component	Description
Rede Nacional de Dados em Saúde	Nationwide health data platform, securely linking public and private providers.
MeuSUS Digital	Mobile app for patient‑provider interaction; 70 M accesses in 2025, 238 % growth in active users.
Cartão Nacional de Saúde	Unified health ID covering > 200 M registrations, enabling cross‑sector data linkage.
Agora Tem Especialistas	Tele‑consultation programme delivering 5.6 M remote visits (53 % of municipalities).
Supercentro Brasil de Diagnóstico do Câncer	AI‑enabled pathology pipeline, cutting diagnosis wait‑times from six months to 15 days.

6.3 AI‑Enabled Applications

Climate‑Health Monitoring – predictive models for disease outbreaks linked to climate variables (Amazon and Rio).
Infectious‑Disease & High‑Risk Pregnancy Prediction – early‑warning AI tools.
Personalised Oncology Treatment – algorithms trained on national patient data.
Fraud & Cost‑Control – AI for pharmaceutical procurement oversight (ANVISA).
Queue Management & Tele‑Surgery – AI‑driven scheduling and robotic surgery support.
Imaging & Diagnostic Acceleration – AI‑enhanced radiology pipelines.

6.4 International Cooperation

Partnerships with FIOCRUZ, BRICS Bank, and hospitals in India/China to create a smart‑hospital network across Brazil.

6.5 Governance & Ethics

Adopted human‑in‑the‑loop safeguards for critical diagnostic decisions.
Launched a sandbox regulatory environment for health‑AI pilots, testing compliance before market rollout.

6.6 Closing Vision

Brazil aims to be a global model for sovereign, inclusive, and AI‑enhanced public health, leveraging its scale, data richness, and international alliances.

7. Minister Mauro Vieira – Foreign Affairs (Moderator & Closing Policy Speech)

7.1 Geopolitical Context of AI

Recalled historical warnings about “freezing of world power” (1970s) and framed AI as the new strategic lever of sovereignty.

7.2 Governance Imperatives

Stressed that AI must serve public‑interest goals: poverty reduction, planetary protection, and fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

7.3 Multilateral Institutions

Re‑affirmed Brazil’s commitment to UN‑based AI governance, citing the UN AI Scientific Panel and the appointment of Brazilian scientist Tereza Ludermir to represent Brazil.

7.4 International Leadership

Highlighted Brazil’s role in:
- G20 (2024) and BRICS (2025) AI agendas.
- COP30 (Belém) – linking climate action with digital technologies.
- LATAM‑GPT – a collaborative, open‑source Latin‑American language model co‑developed with Chile.

7.5 Regulatory Progress

Mentioned the ongoing AI regulatory framework in Congress, aimed at shared responsibility, information integrity, and protection of creative industries.

7.6 Bilateral & Regional Agreements

Ongoing AI partnership talks with UAE, Chile, Ecuador, China, and EU for technology exchange, standard‑setting, and joint research.

7.7 Vision for a Sovereign Digital Commons

Urged the creation of collective, open, transparent AI governance to counter geoeconomic fragmentation and militarisation of data.

7.8 Closing Appeal

Invited nations to join Brazil in building cooperative, equitable, and secure AI ecosystems for the benefit of humanity.

8. Closing Remarks

The moderator thanked the ministers, reiterated the session’s central message—that AI must be responsibly harnessed for societal good, and announced the formal end of the high‑level plenary.

Key Takeaways

National AI Blueprint: Brazil’s PBIA commits **R $23 bi ll i o n * * (\approx U S$  4.5 billion) through 2028, organized around five strategic pillars (infrastructure, capacity‑building, public‑service AI, business innovation, and governance).
Infrastructure First: Massive investments in super‑computing, government clouds (SINAPAD), 5G/4G expansion, and data‑centre policy aim to secure digital sovereignty and provide the computational backbone for AI.
Human‑Capital Surge: Over 8 000 new AI undergraduate slots and a national goal of 73 000+ AI‑related enrolments, plus extensive public‑sector training tracks, reflect a concerted talent‑development strategy.
Data‑Sovereignty & Governance: Brazil is establishing a national data infrastructure, algorithmic‑transparency centre, and a stringent AI ethics framework, insisting that strategic data remain under Brazilian jurisdiction.
Public‑Sector AI Deployment: 182 AI solutions are active across 58 federal agencies; flagship projects include the Northeast AI Hub, INSPiRe, and Ideia Terra Brasil targeting health, education, land‑use, and climate challenges.
Education & Inclusion: The National Schools Connected Strategy (target 70 % connectivity) and a suite of AI‑enabled teaching tools (MEC Enem, Livros, Idiomas) aim to democratise digital learning while safeguarding students’ well‑being.
Health‑AI Ecosystem: Integrated platforms (National Health Data Network, MeuSUS Digital, Tele‑consultation programmes) and AI‑driven clinical tools (cancer diagnostics, disease‑prediction models) position Brazil as a global reference for sovereign digital health.
International Cooperation: Brazil pursues South‑South, BRICS, and UN‑based governance partnerships, including a submarine‑cable project, LATAM‑GPT model, and multilateral AI regulatory dialogues.
Regulatory Momentum: Ongoing legislative work seeks to codify AI responsibility, protect information integrity, and foster a regulatory sandbox for safe experimentation.
Visionary Outlook: Across all ministries, the unifying narrative is that AI must advance human dignity, reduce inequality, protect the environment, and reinforce Brazil’s digital autonomy—turning the country into a model of sustainable, inclusive AI for the global South.

See Also:

India AI Impact Summit 2026

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