The Regional Secretariat for Economy of Madeira will present the Regional Agenda for Artificial Intelligence – Companies (ARIA-Empresas) next Thursday, September 17. This strategy aims to accelerate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the island.
The plan follows a diagnosis highlighting the prevalence of micro-enterprises (86%) and difficulties in investing in digitalization, alongside challenges like being an ultra-peripheral region and a shortage of tech professionals. Currently, only 9.4% of Portuguese small businesses use AI, compared to 17% on average in Europe.
ARIA-Empresas sets a goal for at least 25% of Madeiran SMEs to use AI by 2030, projecting productivity gains of 15% to 20%. Also to be introduced are the "dIArio do Empresário" (Businessman's Diary), an informational support tool, and the "Empresa IA Responsável Madeira" (Responsible AI Company Madeira) seal, which will certify companies with ethical and transparent AI practices.
