Brazil reaffirms its leadership in tech while maintaining security.

Real Priorities for Brazilian Companies in 2026

While the global market celebrates artificial intelligence as a universal solution, Brazilian companies are following a more pragmatic path. Data released this Thursday (11/13) by the IT Trends Snapshot 2025 study, by Logicalis in partnership with Stratica, reveals that cybersecurity leads the technological priorities with 80% of companies prioritizing investments in the area.

Despite all the media coverage, artificial intelligence only ranks third in priorities, with 421,300 companies focusing on AI and machine learning projects. In between, process automation for operational efficiency comes in second place, with 491,300 of interest.

“Customers say that what’s missing to fully embrace AI is: processing power, quality data, and clarity about cloud computing versus on-premises data centers,” explained Márcio Caputo, CEO of Logicalis, during the results announcement.

The Challenge of AI Adoption Beyond Experimentation

The study also identified a critical bottleneck: only three out of ten companies managed to extract tangible results from their AI initiatives. This signals that the market is still in the experimental phase, far from consolidated business models.

According to Caputo, 2026 will be the year of the pursuit of efficiency and technological integration. "AI seems to be at the heart of this, but it needs to go beyond experimentation. It requires clarity, a well-defined ROI, specific use cases, and robust governance," he stated.

Information security, however, remains a major concern. CIOs expressed worry that, despite budget increases, resources may not be sufficient to cover rising costs for skilled labor, inflation, and potential currency devaluations.

AI is already transforming the financial sector.

Unlike the general corporate landscape, the Brazilian credit market is at a more advanced stage of AI adoption. According to the National Association of Credit Bureaus (ANBC), the technology has been a consolidated reality in the sector for over 20 years, evolving from machine learning to generative AI.

The numbers are impressive: automation can reduce costs by up to 66% and accelerate the development of models that previously took weeks—now completed in just a few days. At one of the leading companies in the sector, more than 70% of the new models created in 2023 incorporated machine learning and deep learning, increasing data processing speed by 20 times.

“AI is a strategic ally. It helps companies reduce costs, increase the accuracy of analyses, and offer a better customer experience, all with responsibility and security,” stated Elias Sfeir, CEO of ANBC.

Brazil Leads in Tech Salaries in Latin America

While technological priorities are being redefined, Brazil is consolidating its position as a regional leader in compensation. According to Deel's report, The State of Global Compensation 2025, which analyzed more than 1 million contracts in 150 countries, Brazilian engineers and data scientists receive an average of US$$ 67,000 per year.

However, there is a significant internal disparity: sales, marketing, product, and design professionals are still far from the standards of the major technological powers. The research also revealed that 84% of technology contracts in Brazil are held by freelancers, especially in Engineering and Data.

Brazilian Startups Gain Global Visibility

Brazil's presence at international events reaffirms the country's leading role in innovation. At Web Summit Lisbon 2025, Brazil brought a delegation of over 370 startups and companies. Paraíba, for example, presented 23 startups selected from programs such as TecNova, Centelha, and Conectando Startups.

A highlight was Neoron, a startup specializing in Dialogue Intelligence for healthcare, which presented its project on the Showcase Pitch stage alongside companies from India, Mexico, the United States, and England. “Being here for the second time is a huge achievement. By 2026, we want to establish a strong presence in Portugal,” declared the company, which has already achieved cash flow equilibrium without external investment.

Investments in Sustainability and Climate Innovation

COP 30 in Belém consolidated Brazil as a protagonist in climate innovation. The Impacta Brasil Portal presented 351 businesses focused on climate solutions during its launch on Thursday. Finep, an agency linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, has allocated more than R$ 12 billion since 2023 to research, development and innovation projects aimed at mitigating emissions — 27% of its investments in the period.

Three new public calls for proposals were announced, including the Pró-Amazônia call for proposals with R$ 150 million for research infrastructure. In addition, Embrapii formalized an international partnership to decarbonize the steel and cement industries, with an investment of approximately R$ 153 million in green technologies.

What Changes for Companies and Professionals

The scenario that emerges from the data is clear: Brazilian companies are seeking immediate efficiency, not futuristic promises. Investments in cybersecurity, automation, and AI (in that order) define the roadmap for 2026. For professionals, specializations in data, analytics, and security remain market differentiators, with regionally competitive compensation.

The challenge now is to transform experimentation into real AI adoption, with clear governance and measurable ROI — not just as a technological fad.

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash