Pedro Vale, Senior VP of Engineering for AI, Data, and Common Capabilities at Cegid, is leading the company’s forward-thinking AI strategy from Portugal.
He views AI not just as a trend, but as a fundamental transformation in business operations, where talent, ethics, and accessibility are equally vital.
Cegid’s AI Center of Excellence, based in Portugal, leverages local expertise in engineering, data science, and machine learning to support innovation across all product lines.
Current AI applications include automating accounting and tax compliance, ERP inventory forecasting, financial analytics, HR screening, and personalized training programs. Early implementations have already shown clear efficiency improvements, with AI serving to support—not replace—human decision-making.
Vale highlights the importance of making AI accessible, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), through cloud-based and scalable solutions.
Data governance and GDPR compliance are central to these efforts. Portugal’s openness to experimentation stands in contrast to other markets like France, where AI adoption is slower due to legal and cultural hesitations.
Cegid’s AI team in Portugal is expected to grow to 150 specialists by 2026, including data scientists, engineers, and product owners.
Pedro Vale stresses that curiosity and collaboration are key traits for success in this field. Cegid’s participation in events like the Portugal Digital Summit underscores the country’s potential to export tech innovation while ensuring AI is available to all businesses.
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