Government initiates pilot project to train 100,000 workers in AI

The government will start in October, in the Leiria Region, a pilot project to encourage companies to use artificial intelligence (AI), and wants to reach 100,000 workers across the country, today announced the Minister of Economics.

16/09/2026
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Nthe parliament, in the committee of Economics and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida highlighted that productivity “is an essential point”, whose biggest problems are solved within companies, but in which the government can also help in a “fundamental area” that is the incentive to use AI.

“ There is no large company that is not taking massive training actions of its workers in the AI area. But our economic fabric consists of very small companies”, with an average of three workers per company, “which is very low”, making it difficult for these organizations to introduce AI into their respective production processes, he said.

According to the minister, already in October will be held a pilot session with training in AI for about 100 workers from various companies in the region of Leiria, which will be a model to “scale this training”, with the purpose of reaching about 100,000 workers” with training in the area of AI.

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“ If we have 100,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises familiar with the AI and able to use and introduce AI into their organizations, this will be an important step forward in the path of productivity,” he added.

The minister pointed out that in Marinha Grande a pilot action will also be organized in the mold sector, with training “five or six companies” to see how the AI can benefit the production process “in concrete industrial operations”.

“ These two pilot actions will allow us to draw conclusions so that we can organize their reproduction at national level. ... The idea is to go from Minho to Algarve to do training actions in this area of AI, which is an area that is indispensable for those who want to increase productivity ", said.

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According to Castro Almeida, “hundreds” of medium and large companies are already being funded through support from the IFI – Financial Instrument for Innovation and Competitiveness, with an important part of this support to organize the introduction of AI in their organisations.

“ We have applied over EUR 400 million. They went precisely for the introduction of artificial intelligence in these companies”, he concluded.