The country also stood out in the adoption of robots in education and research and in the growing use of digital public services by the population
It advanced four positions and now occupies 53rd place in the 2025 Digital Competitiveness Ranking, prepared by the Swiss business school IMD (Institute for Management Development). The survey assesses the capacity of countries to adopt and develop new technologies. Switzerland, the United States and Singapore occupy the top three places in the ranking.
After a period of stagnation in 2023 and 2024, Brazil showed advances in areas such as scientific research production, where it ranks 9th globally, and in private investments in artificial intelligence. The country also stood out in the adoption of robots in education and research and in the growing use of digital public services by the population. With these results, Brazil surpassed South Africa, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Türkiye, which were ahead of them the previous year.
Despite progress, the country still faces important challenges. The report highlights weaknesses in the integration between universities, companies and the public sector, in financing innovation, in attracting qualified foreign professionals and in the exchange of international knowledge.
Researchers from Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC), IMD’s partner in the study, assess that Brazil is experiencing a gradual recovery in its digital competitiveness, driven by scientific and technological advances. However, they highlight the need for structural reforms and greater coordination between government, companies and educational institutions to create a more innovative environment.
The director of the innovation center, and digital technologies from FDC, Hugo Tadeu, stated that the economic scenario is still an obstacle to technological advancement. “It is obvious that interest rates above 15% are a challenge for Brazilian and foreign companies in expanding and accessing technologies”, he highlighted. He also highlighted the shortage of technical professionals, noting that most masters and doctors in Brazil graduate in social sciences, while the country needs more engineers and specialists in computer science.
The 2025 edition of the ranking evaluated 69 economies, with Venezuela in last position. Despite the improvement, Brazil is still among the 17 least competitive countries in the adoption of new technologies. Chile, in 43rd place, is the best positioned country in South America.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
