Portuguese companies lag behind EU in AI and cloud adoption

A new report titled ‘Annual Study of the Digital Economy in Portugal 2026’ reveals that while the digital economy accounts for 40.4% of Portugal’s gross value added (GVA), local businesses are falling behind European Union averages in key technological areas.

In 2025, only 11.5% of Portuguese companies utilized artificial intelligence, compared to approximately 20% in the EU. Similarly, only 34% of Portuguese firms use advanced cloud computing services, while the EU average stands at 47%. Digital presence also shows a gap, with 63% of Portuguese companies having a website compared to 79% across the EU.

Despite these lags, there is a strong intention to invest. Over 69% of surveyed entities plan to increase digitalization investment by 2027, with 64% prioritizing AI and generative AI. However, significant obstacles remain, including a lack of digital skills—cited by 50.4% of organizations—data security concerns, and high investment costs. Additionally, more than 50% of companies report being unprepared for the AI Act.