“We believe that Brazil has the potential to become a reference in artificial intelligence”, says CEO of WideLabs
The beginning of 2025 has brought to the fore an essential debate: how can we reduce dependence on foreign technology solutions and decrease exposure to the changing winds of business decisions of large global technology companies? How can we strengthen sovereignty in data and artificial intelligence (AI)?
“In this context, the integration of AI and data sovereignty presents significant challenges, since machine learning-based technologies depend on large volumes of data to evolve. The concentration of this power in large global corporations increases technological dependence, compromising the privacy and security of strategic information of several nations,” says Nelson Leoni, CEO of WideLabs.
In Brazil, initiatives such as the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan (PBIA) are fundamental steps towards building a more independent and responsible technological ecosystem. However, consolidating digital sovereignty requires continuous efforts, such as robust investments in national infrastructure, specialized technical training, and public policies that stimulate local innovation.
In this scenario, WideLabs, a Brazilian applied artificial intelligence company, has stood out as an ally in the search for solutions that reconcile technological innovation with respect for privacy and data sovereignty. “We believe that Brazil has the potential to become a reference in artificial intelligence by adopting a development model that values technological autonomy and information protection,” says the executive.
With high-impact projects such as Amazônia AI – the largest language model (LLM) developed in Brazil designed to deeply understand Brazilian language and culture – WideLabs reinforces the role of local science and technology in advancing a technological sovereignty agenda. Additionally, Amazônia AI models are specifically designed for replicability, enabling other countries to build their own sovereign AI solutions within their own infrastructure. This framework allows governments to partner with WideLabs to create specialized, high-quality datasets, conduct training in their own countries using their infrastructure, and maintain full ownership of their final models, while benefiting from the expertise and robust infrastructure of partners Oracle and NVIDIA.
About WideLabs
WideLabs is a Brazilian Applied Artificial Intelligence company founded in May 2020, recognized for humanizing technology and creating solutions that combine creativity, science, and real impact. Throughout its history and working with some of the world's biggest players, it has received dozens of awards at world-renowned creativity and innovation festivals, such as Cannes Lions, LIA, and Creative Floor. With a multidisciplinary team made up of experts in business, science, technology, and the arts, WideLabs develops solutions that address complex challenges and create transformative results for companies and people. Its purpose is to convert the potential of AI into practical tools that make a difference in the lives of its customers and users, always balancing humanity, creativity, and scientific rigor.
Nelson Leoni, CEO at WideLabs
Nelson Leoni is co-founder and CEO of Widelabs, an Applied Artificial Intelligence company, recognized as one of the most awarded in 2023 with AI projects and a strategic partner of NVIDIA and Oracle.
He recently led the launch of Amazônia IA, a Sovereign LLM powered by Brazilian science, designed to deeply understand the country’s language and culture.
His life and career path is marked by challenges and achievements. In 2005, he commanded a platoon in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, where he was seriously injured in combat. After two years of recovery in the hospital, he became a Paralympic athlete and began a career as a motivational speaker. At the age of 30, he reinvented himself professionally by working in Digital Communications, creating the Brazilian Army's social networks and leading digital strategies in companies such as Banco do Brasil, Nivea and Unilever.
At UNICEF, he was the Head of Digital Communications for UNICEF Brazil and Global Digital Engagement, based in New York, leading projects with global impact. He also gave more than 400 motivational speeches in several countries.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelsonleoni/
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