The Opinion

by Mafalda Franco Frazão, Portugal Lead, Google Portugal

Portugal and Leadership in Simplification and Artificial Intelligence Adoption: an opportunity we cannot miss

This year, Portugal assumes the Presidency of the D9+ Group – the coalition of EU countries leading in digital transformation. This milestone is an opportunity to move from ambition to leadership, placing regulatory simplification and the strategic adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the center of the EU’s competitiveness agenda.

AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our generation, with the potential to boost productivity, accelerate economic growth, support the energy transition, and strengthen security. A recent study by Implement Consulting Group, commissioned by Google, indicates that widespread AI adoption could increase Portugal’s GDP by +8% over the next 10 years – the equivalent of €18 to €22 billion. Yet, Europe – and Portugal – still lags behind other economies, such as the U.S. and China, in terms of adoption. To change this scenario, it is strategic for governments to lead by example, integrate AI into their own processes, and adopt “AI-first” approaches across public administration.

Portugal’s leadership of the D9+ is an opportunity to promote three priorities:

• Regulatory simplification: focus on effective implementation of existing legislation before creating new rules; remove redundant requirements and harmonize reporting obligations.
• Scalability and collaboration: strengthen international cooperation and create conditions for companies and universities to actively participate in the global AI value chain.
• Cross-sector adoption: encourage the application of AI in strategic sectors such as healthcare, education, mobility, energy, and public administration.

These priorities require continuous investment in talent and digital skills. Since 2015, Google has trained 13 million people in Europe and continues to support universities and capacity-building programs, including its participation in the European Commission’s CyberSkills Academy. These efforts aim to ensure that digital transformation is inclusive and that companies of all sizes can benefit from new technologies.

At the same time, public policies must remain proportionate and foster innovation. Google’s signing of the EU Code of Practice for General-Purpose AI is a positive step to ensure that European citizens and businesses have fast and safe access to the best AI tools. But it is equally important to avoid excessive requirements that could undermine competitiveness or delay access to cutting-edge models.

We believe that Portugal’s presidency of the D9+ represents an opportunity to promote the dual agenda of simplification and AI adoption. These strategic priorities not only strengthen investor confidence but also accelerate state modernization and help the country position itself as a global reference in digital governance and AI adoption.

Europe’s digital future is being written. Portugal has the conditions to sign a landmark chapter in this transition. This is a challenge for everyone, regardless of the starting point: to cultivate a new, more ambitious mindset, to adopt AI quickly, and to embrace risk as part of the journey – boldly yet responsibly – in order to transform this opportunity into real impact for people and businesses.