59% of companies in Portugal seeing cost reductions and efficiency gains from AI uptake

Artificial Intelligence is moving beyond a mere promise to establish itself as a tangible tool for efficiency within Portuguese organisations according to a new study by Conclusion – ‘Tech Reality Check 2026’.

It indicates that 59% of companies in Portugal are already seeing cost reductions and efficiency gains through the use of these technologies—the highest figure among the four European countries analysed.

The ‘Tech Reality Check 2026’ report, from the European group Conclusion, paints a mixed picture: on one hand, Portugal stands out for its rapid adoption and practical results; on the other, it reveals structural weaknesses that could jeopardise the sustainability of this transformation.

AI is already cutting costs for six out of 10 Portuguese companies, yet the digital foundation remains fragile.

Beyond operational gains, more than half of the organisations (56%) have reported improvements in services provided to customers and citizens.

These indicators place Portugal at the forefront among the regions analysed—Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands—regarding the direct impact of Artificial Intelligence on business.

“It is very positive to see that the majority of Portuguese organisations are already reaping efficiency gains from Artificial Intelligence.

However, efficiency is just the first step. The most competitive organisations will be those that manage to use AI to redesign processes, accelerate innovation, and transform businesses. This evolution requires a clear strategy, quality data, and a governance model that enables AI to be scaled sustainably,” states Célia Vieira, Managing Director of Conclusion Iberia.

Despite this performance, the digital foundation is far from consolidated. Less than half of the organizations (47%) claim to have a complete view of their technology costs, including indirect charges and future commitments.

Weaknesses also extend to digital sovereignty: only 46% say they fully understand the critical dependencies of their infrastructure, and just 32% meaningfully incorporate risks associated with different jurisdictions—the lowest figure among the countries analysed.

Source: Conclusion Group