LISBON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's National Artificial Intelligence Agenda (ANIA) was officially launched on Thursday with an investment exceeding 400 million euros (468 million U.S. dollars) through 2030, the Portuguese Ministry for State Reform announced.
Regarding the total National AI Agenda cost, "it will have investment of more than 400 million euros in the 2026-2030 period, mostly with European funds," and "this is a strategic investment made with budgetary rigor," the ministry said.
The government views AI "as an opportunity to accelerate Portugal's competitive position, capable of generating an estimated 18-22 billion euros increase to GDP in the next decade."
The ministry lists a solid and growing talent base, universities and research centers of excellence in technical areas, a renewable, stable, and accessible energy structure, expanding technology and startup ecosystem, international talent attraction capacity, and a unique geostrategic location between three continents.
"Portugal can lead in strategic sectors and areas, using AI as an instrument to accelerate economic growth and social wellbeing," the ministry stated.
Portugal has a candidacy for a European gigafactory, led by the Portuguese Development Bank, in the initial evaluation phase in the European Union within the EuroHPC program. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollars) ■