Artificial intelligence has ceased to be merely a promise and has become a determining factor in the competitiveness of nations and companies. In Brazil, the progress is evident: an IBM study indicates that 78% of companies plan to increase investments in AI by 2025, and 95% are already registering concrete progress in their strategies. This movement reinforces a structural change and places digital sovereignty at the center of the national debate.
Leading this process, WideLabs emerges as one of the protagonists of the transformation. Founded during the pandemic with the purpose of developing independent national technology, the company adopted a distinct path: instead of relying on foreign solutions, it structured a Sovereign AI Factory, capable of delivering the entire lifecycle of an artificial intelligence solution, from hardware and infrastructure to proprietary models and advanced applications.
Sovereignty as a strategy, not as discourse.
According to Beatriz Ferrareto, Partner & Chief of Business Development at WideLabs, the Brazilian market is experiencing an accelerated but asymmetrical transition. “Companies' interest has grown exponentially, but there is still a gap between wanting to use AI and having the real conditions to apply it strategically, securely, and independently. It is in this void that WideLabs operates,” she states.
The AI Factory developed by the company brings together a complete ecosystem:
- Proprietary GPU infrastructure and sovereign models;
- Training, curation, and alignment pipeline done entirely in the country;
- Tailor-made solutions for governments and regulated sectors.;
- On-premises operation , ensuring privacy and compliance with local laws and standards.
This arrangement allows for technological independence and reduces dependence on foreign systems, a growing concern in the public sector and strategic industries.
International expansion and regional impact
The vision of sovereignty also guides WideLabs' expansion beyond Brazil. In partnership with NVIDIA, Oracle, and research centers in Latin America, the company has been exporting its AI Factory model to countries interested in reducing technological vulnerabilities.
One example is PatagonIA, an initiative created in Chile with the Institute of Complex Systems Engineering (ISCI). The solution was born from the Brazilian experience with the AmazonIA ecosystem and represents a decisive step towards consolidating an AI with a Latin American identity, trained with local data and accents and operated in a 100% sovereign environment.
Technology that reflects local culture, language, and reality.
According to Nelson Leoni, CEO of WideLabs, the future of AI in Latin America necessarily involves autonomy. “Investing in sovereignty is not a luxury, it’s a strategic necessity. The region needs locally developed technologies, aligned with our culture, our language, and our legislation. We cannot depend on systems that can be shut down, limited, or altered by external interests,” he states.
Leoni further emphasizes that the AI Factory is not just about technology, but about governance, transparency, and accountability. “AI can democratize access to services, reduce bottlenecks, and improve public policies. But this requires ethics, oversight, and responsibility. Whoever masters this balance between innovation and social impact will define the region's competitive future.”
A national infrastructure for a new technological cycle.
With a growing presence in state and federal governments, and in sectors such as health, justice, and industry, WideLabs has established itself as one of the leading companies in the new AI economy in Brazil. Its Sovereign AI Factory model is already adopted by institutions representing tens of millions of citizens.
The company believes the country is facing a historic opportunity: “If Brazil wants to lead the era of artificial intelligence in Latin America, that leadership requires technological independence. And that is exactly what we are building,” concludes Leoni.
