Portugal is set to deploy a new public platform called LicenCIÁ, designed to leverage artificial intelligence for streamlining urban, industrial, and environmental licensing processes. Gonçalo Matias, the Deputy Minister and Minister of State Reform, presented the initiative during budget committee proceedings, stating that the government aims to reduce licensing times by up to 70%. The project is scheduled to launch in a pilot phase later this year with the goal of saving time for both citizens and businesses.
In the private sector, Portuguese technology company Critical Software announced it will reduce its workforce by 200 employees by the end of 2026. This cut represents a 13% reduction from the start of the year, leaving the company with approximately 1,300 workers. CEO João Carreira explained to Expresso that AI is replacing tasks previously performed by engineers, particularly in programming and testing. He described this as the most profound transformation since the company's founding in 1998. While no further collective dismissals are currently planned for next year, Carreira noted that such possibilities cannot be entirely ruled out. The company, which develops software for aerospace and rail transport sectors, has invested eight million euros in AI policies and expects revenue to remain near 120 million euros.
Internationally, South Korea has announced a record investment of nearly 14.3 billion euros in artificial intelligence technologies for the upcoming year. President Lee Jae-myung revealed this figure, which accounts for almost 13% of the national budget, with the objective of placing the country alongside the United States and China as a global leader in the field. The announcement highlights the role of South Korean giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are already world leaders in producing advanced memory chips essential for AI systems.
In Argentina, President Javier Milei is pursuing a strategy to turn the nation into a tax haven for artificial intelligence by proposing an unregulated environment and offering fiscal incentives. Milei aims to build multiple data centers in Patagonia, citing its open geography and distance from populated areas as advantages. To attract technology companies concerned about economic instability, his government proposes reducing the corporate income tax rate from 25% to 15%. During a visit to Washington, Milei pledged to leave AI unregulated and has reportedly met with representatives from major firms including OpenAI, Amazon, and Google.
On the consumer front, Portuguese entrepreneur Juvenal Rodrigues from Viana do Castelo has launched "Universo Zé Traquina," a free educational app for children in grades one through four. The application combines games, activities, videos, and stories without advertising. A key feature is an AI-based assistant named Zé Traquina, designed to interact with children and answer their questions. The app also includes mini-games aimed at stimulating reasoning, memory, and creativity, and is currently available on the Google Play Store.
Sources: Observador.