Venice, Italy, June 17, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese President, António José Seguro, argued on Wednesday that the country, Spain and Italy “do not have to accept a peripheral role” in the new world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), “one of the most profound transformations in the world of work since the Industrial Revolution”.
“The world is witnessing a race between two models of AI: the American model, which is market-oriented, and the Chinese model, which is geared towards state control. Europe has a different path, one geared towards development, based on rights and democracy”, argued Seguro in his first speech as Head of State at a symposium organised by the business organisation COTEC Europa, held this year on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy.
This year’s 19th edition is dedicated to the theme “Rethinking work in the age of AI: Transformation, Opportunity, Governance”, António José Seguro – who was welcomed to COTEC Europa by King Felipe VI of Spain and the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, both of whom have attended this event for several years – focused much of his speech on the need to “govern AI”, as, he argued, “it is not neutral; it never has been”.
“AI systems reflect the values of those who design them, the data with which they are trained, and the incentives of those who fund them. When those values are those of unbridled profit maximisation or of political systems that are accountable to no one, the result is not innovation in the service of people, but innovation against people,” he said.
“We are here as representatives of three European democracies. Three countries with a rich cultural heritage, with solid scientific traditions, with societies that value cohesion and solidarity. We are not the largest countries, nor are we the quickest to embrace this change, but we can be the most responsible. And responsibility in this context is not a limitation; it is a competitive advantage,” he argued.
According to the president, “Portugal, Spain and Italy are well aware of the value of openness to the world”, being “Atlantic and Mediterranean countries, countries of movement, trade, culture, science and industry”, which must therefore claim their place in the transformation currently underway.
“We do not have to accept a peripheral role in the next technological revolution. We have universities, engineers, businesses, renewable energy, connectivity, industrial capacity and a historic relationship with regions that are playing an increasingly significant role on the global stage. What we often lack is scale and coordination,” he said.
Ahead of the speeches by the heads of state, the leaders of Portugal, Spain and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding, proposed by the Portuguese Business Association for Innovation, for the creation of a “Mediterranean-Atlantic platform”, a strategic alliance focused on technological advancement and investment in deep tech (cutting-edge technologies), establishing a common axis of innovation between the three southern European countries.
According to Seguro, “cooperation between Portugal, Spain and Italy must be more than just an institutional photo opportunity; it must translate into concrete measures”, and this Mediterranean-Atlantic initiative “points precisely in that direction”, adding that “this is how Europe moves beyond merely identifying dependencies and begins to build capabilities”.
“Our three countries can and must set this example,” he stated.
António José Seguro will also attend a dinner this evening hosted by the Italian Head of State for him and the King of Spain, after which he will return to Lisbon.
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