The data now released by the "Consumer Sentiment Survey 2025", by the Boston Consulting Group, clearly confirm what is already felt on the ground: artificial intelligence is no longer a technological curiosity to become part of the daily lives of the Portuguese.

Today, 67% of the Portuguese already use AI tools at least once a month. Among the youngest, from 18 to 34 years old, the rate rises to 81%. This jump of 15 percentage points in a single year does not happen by chance. It happens because Portugal has built, over the last decade, an ecosystem favorable to innovation, talent, technological experimentation, and the rapid adoption of new digital solutions.

Even more relevant is the normalization of use. Almost half of the Portuguese use AI every week. This means that we are going through the moment when technology is no longer an exception and becomes a structural tool, whether at work, in education, in services, in creativity or in the way people organize their lives.

At the same time, the data shows something that I have also been emphasizing technological adoption is not automatically synonymous with productivity. Only 5% of users say they save more than five hours a week with the use of AI. Half feel that the gain is less than an hour. This is not a problem of technology. It is a challenge of training, integration in processes and, above all, organizational leadership.

Portugal is in a decisive phase. We have a curious population, open to innovation and increasingly comfortable with advanced tools. We have companies, universities and research centers working directly with AI in multiple sectors, from industry to healthcare, from energy to smart cities. But this diffuse adoption still needs to be transformed into a real leap in economic productivity.

The study itself points the way. Companies need to invest seriously in continuous and practical training. They need to integrate AI into their actual decision-making, production, and customer service processes. And they need leaders who understand that this is not a fad, but the new invisible infrastructure of the economy.

This is also why these numbers are so important for Portugal's international image. Investors, global companies, and economic decision-makers look to countries that combine stability, talent, and rapid technological adoption. Portugal is starting to fit this profile perfectly.

The most interesting thing is that public perception is following this change. Almost half of the Portuguese believe that AI will have a very significant impact on their lives in the near future. Enthusiasm clearly outweighs fear. And that collective mindset is a powerful economic asset.

Portugal is no longer just a country that receives technology. It is a country that integrates it, adapts it, and begins to shape its own version of a smarter, more productive, and more competitive economy. This is what I have been observing on the ground, in projects, companies and investments. And that is what these data now confirm.

The future is not just coming to Portugal. In many ways, it has already started here.