The Impact of Digital Economy in Portugal study, conducted by ACEPI and GoingNext in collaboration with Porto Business School, identifies a robust set of opportunities positioning the country as a potential leader in the digital economy, according to Filipe Grilo.
Grilo, a professor at Porto Business School, highlighted technology’s potential to significantly boost productivity through process automation, intelligent data analysis, and resource optimization across nearly all sectors.
However, the potential goes beyond operational efficiency. Emerging business models based on algorithms, data, and digital services, such as ‘as-a-service’ solutions and AI platforms, can be developed in Portugal and exported globally, he added.
Cybersecurity, for instance, is emerging as an economic sector in its own right, with potential to generate value, talent, and exports. The same applies to digital sustainability, where Portugal could leverage technological competencies alongside natural resources to renew its value proposition in the energy transition, he noted.
Moreover, strategic opportunities exist in emerging fields like quantum computing, digital biotechnology, autonomous systems, and Earth observation. Early investment with a European vision and focus on applied innovation could position the country advantageously.
Ultimately, the greatest opportunity may lie not in a specific technology, but in using digital tools to resolve structural economic blockages in Portugal: boosting productivity, scaling businesses, attracting investment, and enhancing employment quality.
The technology is available, but the true challenge and opportunity lie in how it is intelligently integrated, emphasized the study’s scientific coordinator.
Commenting on the digitalization of public services, Gabriel Coimbra, a partner at GoingNext, noted that Portugal scored 84.5 points on the European index for digital services to citizens, surpassing the EU average of 82.3. In terms of business services, the country scored 84.3 points, nearly aligning with the European average of 86.2.
Coimbra pointed out other indicators, such as the fact that 85% of Internet users in Portugal used government websites or apps in 2024, 10 percentage points above the European average of 75%.
Digital authentications (Citizen Card and Digital Mobile Key) rose from one million in 2015 to nearly 30 million in 2024, indicating massive and sustained adherence to digital services.
Portugal is steadily building a digitally mature public administration model characterized by transparency, efficiency, and a user-centric approach. However, challenges remain in system interoperability, territorial equity, and digital literacy, crucial for truly inclusive transformation.
Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is still low, with only 26% of Central Public Administration entities utilizing AI technologies, primarily for text mining, workflow automation, and automatic transcription in assemblies and public consultations. This needs rapid acceleration to approach 100% usage, argued Gabriel Coimbra.
