Companies hire AI solutions in the private sector, but partnerships with universities are still limited, survey reveals

Launched this Tuesday at the celebration event of Cetic.br's 20th anniversary, ICT Companies 2024 brings new indicators about AI development

In 2024, 13% of Brazilian companies reported using AI applications, the same proportion recorded in 2023 and 2021, according to the 16th edition of the ICT Companies, launched this Tuesday (13) by the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil (CGI.br), during the International Seminar Cetic.br 20 Years – Data and Analyses for a Digital and Inclusive Future. The survey investigated for the first time how the business sector in the country acquires software and artificial intelligence systems, as well as the partnerships and actions established for AI development. The results reveal a predominance of "off-the-shelf solutions", and outsourcing of AI management.

According to the study conducted by the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), among the companies that used AI, 76% acquired ready software or systems and 56% hired external suppliers to develop or modify software and systems, while 25% stated that the AI systems in use were developed internally. In terms of partnerships for AI development, a minority of the companies that used AI did so in conjunction with non-profit foundations or associations (12%), universities or research centers (12%), and government agencies (7%).

“The preference for off-the-shelf solutions and the use of external suppliers highlight that Brazilian companies are still taking their first steps in the adoption of artificial intelligence. The survey also shows low interaction between companies and universities, third sector organizations, and government agencies,” says Alexandre Barbosa, manager of Cetic.br|NIC.br.

The indicators also show that AI is present mainly in large companies (38%) and those operating in the information and communication technology sector (38%). The most used applications are related to process and workflow automation (63% of the companies that used AI), followed by image recognition and processing applications that identify objects or people (33% of the companies that used AI).

ICT Companies 2024 also brings data on the use of other advanced technologies, such as cloud services and the Internet of Things (IoT). Between 2021 and 2024, the proportion of companies that hired cloud services went from 29% to 33%, indicating a stable scenario. Meanwhile, the percentage of those using smart or IoT devices is 14%, corresponding to approximately 70,546 companies, with a clear prevalence in large companies (37%) compared to medium (28%) and small ones (12%).

Connectivity and online presence
The 16th edition of the survey shows that 92% of small, medium, and large companies were connected to the Internet via fiber optics in 2024. In a context of prevalence of this type of connection, the demand for higher download speeds has increased. While the proportion of companies that opted for speeds of up to 300 Mbps decreased between 2023 and 2024 from 54% to 43%, in the same period, there was an increase in the percentage of those that contracted speeds above 500 Mbps, going from 21% to 28%.

“The growth is not only a reflection of the greater availability of fiber optics in the country, but also demonstrates the ability of businesses of all sizes to improve their Internet connections over time,” comments Barbosa.

Social networks continue to be the main form of online presence among Brazilian companies (89%) – a little more than half (53%) had a website in 2024. According to the survey, 74% used WhatsApp or Telegram last year, an increase of 32 percentage points compared to 2017 (42%). A significant increase was also noted in the use of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, or Flickr, which went from 22% in 2017 to 74% in 2024.

Electronic commerce
In 2024, 61% of Brazilian companies sold products and services online. Among the means used to conduct online transactions, WhatsApp, Skype, or Facebook chat predominated (49%), a proportion that was 55% in 2023. The use of email showed a decline: in 2024, 34% of the companies sold through this channel, a proportion that was 40% in 2023. It is worth mentioning that the means developed exclusively for handling electronic commerce, such as websites, applications, sales sites, extranets, and electronic data exchange, remained stable between 2023 and 2024.

About the survey
ICT Companies 2024 mapped the incorporation of ICTs, especially new technologies like AI, among Brazilian companies with more than ten employees. It also investigated electronic commerce practices, digital security, as well as aspects of connectivity and online presence, covering the reality of Brazilian companies and comparing them to international indicators.

The data collection for the 16th edition took place between March and November 2024. A total of 4,453 companies were interviewed, presenting results by size, geographical region, and economic sector of activity. The results of the survey, including tables of proportions, totals, and margins of error, are available on the site https://cetic.br/pt/pesquisa/empresas/indicadores/. The “Methodological Report” and the “Data Collection Report” can be consulted both in the printed publication of the survey and on the site of Cetic.br|NIC.br.

Conducted since 2005, ICT Companies adopts international standards established by entities such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

About Cetic.br
The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), of NIC.br, is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on Internet access and use in Brazil, disseminating periodic analyses and information on the development of the network in the country. Cetic.br|NIC.br is also a Regional Center of Studies under the auspices of UNESCO, and will complete 20 years of activity in 2025. More information at https://cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br
The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://nic.br/) is a private non-profit civil entity, responsible for the operation of the .br domain, as well as the allocation of IP numbers and the registration of Autonomous Systems in the country. NIC.br implements the decisions and projects of the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil - CGI.br since 2005, and all resources collected come from its activities which are of an eminently private nature. It conducts actions and projects that benefit Internet infrastructure in Brazil. NIC.br includes: Registro.br (https://registro.br/), CERT.br (https://cert.br/), Ceptro.br (https://ceptro.br/), Cetic.br (https://cetic.br/), IX.br (https://ix.br/) and Ceweb.br (https://ceweb.br/), as well as projects such as Internetsegura.br (https://internetsegura.br/) and the Portal of Good Practices for the Internet in Brazil (https://bcp.nic.br/). It also hosts the W3C Chapter São Paulo office (https://w3c.br/).

About the Internet Steering Committee in Brazil – CGI.br
The Internet Steering Committee in Brazil is responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinating and integrating all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and the dissemination of offered services. Based on the principles of multistakeholderism and transparency, CGI.br represents a democratic Internet governance model, praised internationally, where all sectors of society are equally involved in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://cgi.br/resolucoes/documento/2009/003). More information at https://cgi.br/.

Press Contacts – NIC.br:

Weber Shandwick
https://webershandwick.com.br/
PABX: (11) 3027-0200 / 3531-4950
Milena Oliveira - moliveira@webershandwick.com – (11) 98384-3500
Paula Boracini - pboracini@webershandwick.com – (11) 98123-5235

Communication Advisory – NIC.br
Carolina Carvalho - Communication Manager - carolcarvalho@nic.br
Ana Nascimento - Communication Coordinator – ananascimento@nic.br

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This content was automatically translated with the support of artificial intelligence.