The Government’s investment in data communication infrastructure in response to the growing need to apply digital technologies to improve quality and efficiency in the services in our society has represented a growing investment by international corporations in Portugal.

This is the case with Microsoft’s announced 10-billion-dollar investment to support the Artificial Intelligence infrastructure to be housed in the Sines Data Centre, to which we add the 8.5 million euros already pledged by StartCampus to build the Campus.

The partnership between StartCampus, housed in the Sines Data Centre Campus and the Artificial Intelligence global platform Nscale, which is based in Europe, for the largest state of the art chips installation operation in the EU, supports Microsoft in offering advanced AI resources throughout Europe.

To attract this investment, and other investments of the utmost importance, the Government’s investment in installing submarine cables, 5G, satellites, fibreoptics networks and simplifying the applicable legislation is decisive.

As an example, we have the transatlantic EllaLink submarine cable, which is already installed, or Google cloud between Sines and the US East Cost, bringing Europe and North America closer. Or the CAM Atlantic ring and the interisland ring under Infraestruturas de Portugal’s responsibility.

The investments carried out by the Portuguese telecoms providers in 5G and satellites are also noteworthy, 4.2 billion euros over the next 5 years, essential to materialise Artificial Intelligence.

The dissemination of a fibreoptics capillary network is also a Government priority to be installed in the so-called White zones, road, rail, port, airport, and metro infrastructure, reflecting a vision of cohesion and development of the entire national soil.

"Portugal’s geostrategic location, which was for so long considered peripheral, is now central in intercontinental connectivity. An opportunity that Portugal cannot and will not waste, with the greatest technological investment in our country ever now under way", stressed the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Miguel Pinto Luz.