Gonçalo Matias, Minister of State Reform
The Deputy Minister and State Reform, Gonçalo Matias, said today that Artificial Intelligence (IA) could increase Portuguese Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 18 and 22 billion euros in 10 years.
“In Portugal, experts point out that general artificial intelligence could increase GDP between 18 to 22 billion euros In 10 years, ”said the ruler, at the opening of the Outlook Financial Forum in Lisbon.
Gonçalo Matias also noticed that AI technologies will impact on 85 million jobs worldwide, but pointed out that AI “can create 97 million new jobs.”
“This implies, or translates, a net creation of about 12 million jobs globally and the increase in world GDP by about 15 percentage points (PP) by 2035,” he added.
In terms of direct impacts on the population, the minister admitted that “AI applications in the public sector can save between 96.7 million to 1.2 billion hours of work per year ”.
The ruler also stated that in the Portuguese scenario, this translates into “hundreds of millions of euros annually of savings.”
Gonçalo Matias said it said that Portugal is late in the drivers (drivers) of innovation and was worldwide and reiterated the need to bet on the digital infrastructure that supports the transition and promotes a generalized adoption of technology.
Regarding government proposals, the minister brought to the discourse the intention to launch “a pact of digital skills” that ensures “social inclusion, digital literacy for all citizens, regardless of their location, their social condition, in partnership with the business sector and directed to concrete employment opportunities”.
Speaking to journalists, the ruler said only that the government program “is concerned with putting citizens and companies at the center of the public decision, and using available instruments, technology and AI, as a way to simplify, facilitate, digitize the economy.”
