Portugal is launching a national AI plan with a planned five-year investment totalling more than 400 million euros (US$466.69 million), reports Portugal News.
The National Artificial Intelligence Agenda (ANIA) came into force on Friday, along with the accompanying action plan for the 2026 to 2030 period. ANIA “will have an investment of more than 400 million euros in the period 2026-2030, mostly with European funds,” according to the Ministry for State Reform, which characterised the expenditure as “a strategic investment.”
Minister for State Reform Gonçalo Matias has consistently argued that Portugal is uniquely positioned to take advantage of AI, touting factors including a solid, growing talent base and ability to attract international talent; universities and research centres of excellence in technical areas; a renewable, stable and access energy structure; an expanding technological and startup ecosystem; and a geostrategic location between three continents.
The Portuguese government views AI as an opportunity to bolster its competitive position – and its GDP, estimating it will add 18 to 22 billion euros (US$21 billion to US$35.67 billion) over the next decade.
[See more: European Space Agency confirms space hub and landing site in Portugal’s Azores]
As part of its AI investment strategy, Portugal is competing with four other European Union (EU) countries for the establishment of a European AI gigafactory. The national bid, led by Portuguese state development bank BPF, is currently under initial EU review through the EuroHPC programme.
A ministry document on ANIA highlights the establishment of a gigafactory as “a tool for creating industrial capacity for AI.” Another is foreign private investment, namely the Start Campus project in Sines, an 8.5-billion-euro (US$9.92 billion) data campus expected to double the country’s total data centre capacity once complete.
Portugal has already invested around 10 million euros (US$11.67 million) in specific AI use cases currently under development in public administration, less than half of the 25-million-euro (US$29.18 million) investment announced by the Ministry of Reform.
From agents supporting public procurement to invoice automation, the government envisions AI as support for the human workforce, reducing administrative tasks, supporting decision-making and improving service.
