Devoteam presents the results of the 1st phase of the Empower Business with GenAI Study, which provides an overview of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the corporate market in Portugal. The study concludes that more than half of Portuguese organisations have already adopted Generative AI (GenAI). In other words, 53.7% of Portuguese organisations have at least one GenAI application in operation, which demonstrates that the technology is increasingly gaining prominence in companies and organisations.
The conclusions of the Empower Business with GenAI study, which included 358 interviewees from different sectors, were shared last week at the AI Council, an event organised by Devoteam, which brings together leaders from different organisations in periodic meetings to share insights and experiences in adopting AI.
According to the results of the study, AI is already a reality in most Portuguese companies, with 83.2% of participants claiming to have experience with the technology. The research indicates that GenAI, which allows the creation of content and tools in an automated way, has registered high demand from Portuguese organisations. More than 95% of respondents intend to have contact with technology this year, with 44.3% already using it to discover content and answers. Code creation (40.6%), content feedback (31.2%), and marketing content creation (28.5%) are other of the most popular applications of generative AI.
“The research carried out proves that AI is increasingly present in the daily lives of Portuguese companies and that GenAI solutions, increasingly sought after, demonstrate the technology’s potential to transform various sectors of the economy. In our opinion, companies that invest in this technology today are better prepared for the future”, explains Pedro Martins, Executive Director & Head of Data & AI at Devoteam.
Sectors at the forefront of AI
According to the Empower Business with GenAI study, the adoption of this technology varies between different sectors. Defense & Intelligence (100%), Technology (92.2%), Retail (89.5%), Industry (87.5%), Financial Services (83.8%), Energy (83.3%), Education (82.4%), Media & Communications (90%) and Industry lead the use of AI within their organisations. But it is in the Public Sector (57.1%) and Health (46.2%) where the majority of respondents say that the use of this technology is low.
When asked about the AI policy implemented in their organisations, 16.4% of respondents responded positively, but 30.2% were unaware of the AI policy. However, 48.7% emphasise that it is being developed, which demonstrates the importance of technology governance.
GenAI is today a powerful tool for driving innovation and efficiency in organisations. However, despite the growing demand for GenAI solutions, only 41.7% of Portuguese companies have implemented a framework that supports different initiatives in this field. The Media & Communications (20%) and Technology (19.4%) sectors lead the implementation of GenAI frameworks, demonstrating an understanding of the potential of this technology to transform their processes and business models. The creation of a GenAI strategy is another common initiative among Portuguese companies (41.7%), with emphasis on the Education sector (41.2%) which leads in this category.
Based on the study, it can be concluded that the adoption of GenAI is still in its initial phase in Portugal, but that the outlook is promising. The implementation of frameworks and the creation of specific strategies for GenAI represent important steps for companies to make the most of the technology’s potential.
“The growing adoption of GenAI at work indicates that this technology has great potential to transform the way we work. GenAI can automate repetitive tasks, increase productivity, and generate valuable business insights. I believe that GenAI can be useful for the vast majority of functions or positions. Companies that invest in GenAI can prepare their employees for the future of work and increase their competitiveness in the market”, adds Pedro Martins.
The Empower Business with GenAI study also reveals that 67.4% of professionals who use GenAI products in their organisation find them useful for their work. But there is still room to grow this technology in the workplace: 24.5% of workers have never used GenAI products, while 8.1% do not find them useful.
“There is no doubt that AI is transforming the business scenario in Portugal and around the world. Companies that invest in new technologies can increase productivity, efficiency and innovation. However, I highlight that there are still challenges in its implementation, such as the lack of specialised skills, ethical issues and the need to invest in infrastructure and security.”, concludes Bruno Mota, General Manager of Devoteam Portugal.
The Devoteam Group now plans to expand this research to Europe, with the aim of sharing an overview of the maturity of the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in various markets by the end of the year.