Brazil could gain 13 points in GDP with AI by 2035, but lack of data and training threatens progress

Almost unanimous (96%) in stating that they will increase investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) this year, CIOs (Chief Information Officers) face a paradox: only 49% say their teams are prepared, and 46% report insufficient data to support projects, according to a recent PwC study. Another PwC survey indicates that, if well implemented, AI adoption could add up to 13 percentage points to Brazil's GDP by 2035, reinforcing the urgency of overcoming these challenges.

But what to do when the company already sees the value of AI and runs into a lack of data or team preparation?

"Technology alone isn't enough. Without adequate training and quality data, investment in AI may not yield the expected impact. And this is also the role of leaders: to train people, ensure robust technical support, and integrate systems to transform AI into a real competitive advantage," says João Neto, CRO at Unentel.

AI governance is also under construction: only 42% of companies have structured policies, and 49% are implementing them, according to Logicalis. Even so, results are fast-paced: 77% of companies that invested in the last 12 months have already seen a return on their investment.

"In other words, even with structural gaps, AI is already showing concrete results, which makes it even more urgent to invest in training and good governance practices. There's still plenty of room to expand these and achieve greater returns," continues the CRO.

Another important statistic, highlighted by Gartner, indicates that 63% of companies with a high level of AI maturity already track the results of their projects through solid ROI and customer satisfaction metrics. However, less than half of these organizations are able to maintain their AI projects operational for three years or more, which reinforces the importance of structured, long-term strategies.

For these AI investments to be lasting and transformative, it's necessary to increase teams' confidence and operational capacity, strengthen data management, and consolidate a culture of continuous learning—a triad that, for João Neto, is essential to ensuring that innovation truly translates into business value.

“It’s not enough to invest: we need to prepare the ground so that data, people, and culture can move forward together,” concludes the executive.