The adoption rate of artificial intelligence (AI) among Brazilian medical institutions has reached 18%, with a penetration rate of 21% in private healthcare facilities and 11% in public ones. These figures are derived from the 12th ICT Health Survey conducted by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br). Implemented in 2025, the survey polled 3,270 medical institution administrators and was released on Tuesday (the 12th).

Reported by Brazil’s national news agency, the survey was organized by the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br). Alexandre Barbosa, Director of Cetic.br, noted: "In recent years, artificial intelligence technology has gained rapid popularity in the healthcare sector. It is therefore necessary to expand the scope of research to understand the overall application status of AI across medical institutions."

The survey indicates the major application scenarios of AI in Brazilian medical institutions include: streamlining clinical and administrative processes (45%), enhancing cybersecurity (36%), improving treatment efficiency (32%), assisting logistics management (31%), supporting human resource management and recruitment (27%), aiding medical diagnosis (26%), and facilitating medication dosage management (14%).

Nevertheless, the application of AI still faces considerable challenges. Administrators of hospitals with more than 50 beds identified high costs (63%), insufficient institutional attention (56%), and constraints in data resources and professional training (51%) as the primary obstacles. Luciana Portilho, Research Project Coordinator at Cetic.br, emphasized: "The safe and compliant use of AI in healthcare requires specialized professionals. Meanwhile, sound guidelines and regulatory frameworks are critical for the ethical deployment of AI in this sensitive field."

Additionally, the survey shows that 9% of medical institutions have adopted Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and 5% use internet-connected robots. The popularity of online patient services is also on the rise: 39% of institutions offer online access to examination results, 34% provide online appointment booking, and 32% support medical check-up reservations.

Overall, Brazilian medical institutions are gradually advancing the adoption of AI and digital technologies, while cost burdens, professional talent shortages and regulatory constraints remain the key limiting factors.