Bloomberg Línea — Google’s CEO in Brazil, Fábio Coelho, stated that artificial intelligence is the “most significant transformation we will witness on this planet”. This statement was made during a panel discussion on the subject at the Bloomberg Línea Summit held on Monday (23).
“It’s not just incremental; it’s innovative. Part of this is human nature, believing in the grand. We already have infrastructure, data centers, processing models with very well-made chips,” Coelho said, in a panel alongside Claudia Muchaluat, president of Intel (INTC) in Brazil, and Marcio Aguiar, director for Latin America for Nvidia (NVDA).
Google has been working on artificial intelligence for seven years and now has resources for its generative AI, Bard, with tools like Vertex AI and Duet AI. Coelho likened the impact of AI to that of a wave, seeming small from a distance but immense when it breaks close to the shore.
He emphasized Brazil’s potential to solve local problems using AI, such as in agriculture and in combating climate change. For him, AI can bring efficiency improvements in various sectors, from insurers improving claims with photos, virtual teachers, to predicting diseases, as has already been done with Albert Einstein Hospital.
Potential for Brazil
According to Coelho, beyond improving business efficiency in marketing and smart logistics solutions, AI can be applied in Brazil as an opportunity to address the educational issue, boost agriculture, and solve problems for the vulnerable population in the country. “Problems of emerging countries are easier to solve by those living in these countries.
First, bring technology from abroad and then develop technology in Brazil. Bringing this intellectual property to Brazil, we need to advocate within the companies we represent to bring technologies here and also produce Brazilian intellectual property,” said Coelho.
During the panel, Intel’s president in Brazil, Claudia Muchaluat, said artificial intelligence is not just a passing “hype”. She emphasized that the concept has existed for decades, and the current era of generative AIs, driven by giants like Google of Alphabet (GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT), has brought an unprecedented wave of transformation.
“Learning to ask the right questions, anyone can benefit from AI,” she said, highlighting the importance of inclusion and real-time assistance. Marcio Aguiar, director for Latin America for Nvidia, reaffirmed Nvidia’s commitment to AI, saying the company has optimized software platforms and delivered comprehensive solutions for businesses.
In his view, the rise of AI is not a passing wave but rather “a swell we’re just starting”.
Technology Applied in Practice
Aguiar mentioned Nvidia’s partnership with BYD in autonomous vehicles, while Muchaluat spoke about Intel’s collaborations, such as computer vision technology developed with Asus, and an AI solution with Incor. Coelho emphasized the power of data and how a good data culture can generate business efficiency. The speakers recognize that Brazil faces challenges, but they also see significant opportunities.
Coelho believes that by bringing and developing technologies in Brazil, we can solve specific problems of emerging countries. Muchaluat stressed the importance of training the Brazilian population in new technologies, and Aguiar emphasized the role of startups, mentioning that Nvidia has already provided technology for 300 focused on AI.