Brazilian AI plan will have a supercomputer and an investment of $4.20 billion in four years

Brazilian AI plan will have a supercomputer and an investment of $4.20 billion over four years

Proposal presented to President Lula at the opening of the 5th National Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation will define strategies until 2030

On Tuesday, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received the proposal for the first Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan (PBIA). The presentation took place at the opening of the 5th National Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation (5CNCTI), at Espaço Brasil 21, in Brasília. The plan foresees the purchase of one of the five most powerful supercomputers in the world and an investment of up to $4.20 billion over four years. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos, and the secretary-general of the conference, Sergio Rezende, among other authorities.

The PBIA, commissioned by Lula to the National Council for Science and Technology (CCT) at the beginning of the year, aims to guide the development and ethical and sustainable application of artificial intelligence in Brazil. The plan addresses guidelines for research and development, as well as the regulation of practices that guarantee the security and privacy of citizens. The investment of $4.20 billion will come from the budget, the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT), private sector counterparts, among other sources of resources. The proposal for the new plan can be consulted here.

For Lula, “the proposal by Brazilian scientists is a milestone in the history of our country.” “What you have presented cannot be shelved. Our artificial intelligence must be intelligent. And we must make it a source of employment for our country and train millions of young people who are prepared for this debate,” he said. “Brazil needs to learn to fly. It cannot be dependent its entire life; we need to be bold to make things happen.”

Minister Luciana Santos stated that “the plan is bold and viable at the same time, it is robust and feasible.” “It has a public investment that is comparable to that of the European Union. We will arrive with force and present viable alternatives for Brazil”, stated the minister, before giving an interview to journalists about the PBIA.

The proposal aims to equip Brazil with advanced technological infrastructure with high processing capacity and powered by renewable energy, including the new supercomputer. It also plans to develop advanced language models in Portuguese, with national data that encompass our cultural, social and linguistic characteristics.

Luciana Santos celebrated the resumption of dialogue and listening to society after a period of denialism in the previous government. According to her, the conference is the result of the political determination of the government, which restructured the FNDCT, allowing for the investment of R$ 10 billion in 2023, and of the dedication of national scientists, who designed the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan.

The PBIA outlined 31 actions in different areas with short-term impact, aimed at resolving urgent demands in health, education, the environment, the agricultural sector, industry, commerce and services, social development and public service management.

With the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation for a Fair, Sustainable and Developed Brazil”, the 5CNCTI, which runs until Thursday (1st), is the main forum for debates on the future of science in the country. The event, which is being held again after 14 years, with 320 speakers, will discuss the priorities of public policies in the sector. The 5CNCTI is held by MCTI and organized by the Center for Strategic Studies and Management (CGEE), with support from different entities in the sector and civil society.

Secretary-General of 5CNCTI, former Minister of Science and Technology, Sergio Rezende, defended the creation of a national policy for the Amazon, support for universities and the creation of new sectoral funds. “We need to increase resources for science, technology and innovation”, he argued.

The main objective of the conference is to build the new National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (ENCTI) by 2030, in accordance with a presidential decree, and define concrete actions for the coming years.

Representatives from the government and industry entities, scientists and other members of civil society will participate in the 5CNCTI. The main topics to be discussed include urgent challenges such as artificial intelligence; climate change; energy transition; new industrialization policy; and funding for science and technology.

More than 2,200 people will attend in person and another 2,000 will attend virtually in more than 50 debate sessions and seven plenary sessions. In addition to Lula and Minister Luciana Santos, other ministers of state will participate in the conference in the coming days. Minister Marina Silva (Environment) will speak about “opportunities and challenges for sustainable and inclusive development”; Nísia Trindade (Health) will address the health industrial complex; and Camilo Santana (Education) will highlight the debate on the present and future of universities.

Preparatory events for 5CNCTI brought together more than 100,000 people

Held by MCTI and organized by the Center for Strategic Studies and Management (CGEE), with support from entities in the sector and civil society, 5CNCTI had 221 preparatory events in the last six months, with more than 100,000 people. There were regional, state, municipal, free and thematic conferences, in which proposals for the new S&TI strategy were gathered. The number is a record in the history of the event, which has already had four editions.