The Use of Artificial Intelligence Advances in Brazilian Healthcare but Remains Focused on Operational Tasks

18% of healthcare facilities in the country already use AI, a percentage that reaches 31% in units with more than 50 beds, and 29% in diagnostic and therapeutic support services

São Paulo, May 12, 2026 - The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Brazilian healthcare facilities has been advancing, but is still mainly focused on operational tasks, such as the organization of clinical and administrative processes. In 2025, 18% were already using the technology, a percentage that reached 31% in facilities with more than 50 beds, and 29% in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Support Services (SADT).
The data comes from the 12th edition of the TIC Saúde Survey, released this Tuesday (12) by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), through the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), part of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br).

Among the establishments already using Artificial Intelligence, generative AI models are the most adopted, present in 76% of the establishments. Next is text mining (52%) and process automation (48%). The main application of AI is related to the organization of clinical and administrative processes, followed by improvement in digital security (36%) and increased treatment efficiency (32%).

For the 2025 edition, there was a methodological change, with the expansion of the scope of investigation into Big Data and AI for all establishments with computers, and not just those with an IT area, as was done until 2024. “In recent years, we have observed a rapid spread of Artificial Intelligence technologies. Therefore, it became important to expand the investigation to understand how these technologies are being incorporated by all healthcare establishments,” explains Alexandre Barbosa, manager of the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br).

Barriers to AI Adoption and Limited Use of Big Data

Despite continuous growth, the adoption of AI still faces significant obstacles: in hospitals with more than 50 beds, the main challenges pointed out by managers are high costs (63%), lack of institutional prioritization (56%), and limitations related to data and training (51%). In SADT, factors such as lack of interest (60%), lack of priority (64%), and concerns about data privacy (50%) prevail.

These results indicate that AI adoption depends not only on technological infrastructure but also on institutional capacities, data governance, and strategic recognition of this innovation.

“The advancement of Artificial Intelligence use in healthcare requires qualified professionals so that this technology is applied safely and responsibly. Furthermore, the consolidation of guidelines and regulatory frameworks is essential to support the ethical adoption of AI in a sector that deals with sensitive information and directly impacts patient care,” highlights Luciana Portilho, project research coordinator at Cetic.br.

The survey also reveals a still limited use of Big Data in the sector. Only 9% of establishments conducted analyses with the support of this technology in 2025, with a higher incidence in private establishments (11%) and larger hospitals (with more than 50 beds) (30%). Analyses are mainly concentrated on data generated by the institutions themselves, such as medical records and administrative registers.

Interoperability as a Challenge

The exchange of health data between different establishments still represents a challenge, according to the survey. Although digitization is advancing in the sector, with 92% of establishments using electronic systems for recording patient information, less than half (44%) of the establishments have systems that allow for sending or receiving electronic referrals, with a higher incidence in the public sector (64%) than in the private sector (28%).

Additionally, 41% of establishments can send or receive reports on care provided to the patient (55% of public and 29% of private), and 37% can send or receive laboratory test results (47% of public and 29% of private).

In this context, for the first time, the TIC Saúde Survey investigated integration with the National Health Data Network (RNDS) of the Ministry of Health, considered strategic for interoperability and continuity of care in health. The data indicates that 44% of establishments are connected to the network, with greater presence in Basic Health Units (UBS) (72%) and in the public sector (64%).

“Interoperability between health systems can contribute to increasing the efficiency of services and improving the patient experience by facilitating the secure sharing of clinical information between different establishments,” explains Portilho.

Gradual Advancement of Digitally Supported Healthcare in the Country

Connectivity has significantly boosted healthcare. The expansion of Internet access, increased cable and fiber optic connections, and increased speeds have contributed to the better functioning of health services, enabling the use of electronic systems, communication between professionals, and offering new services.

In 2025, online services available to patients, such as viewing test results, were offered by 39% of establishments, scheduling appointments by 34%, and examinations by 32%. The greatest advance occurred in online interaction with the health team, which jumped from 16% in 2023 to 35% in 2025, highlighting a greater adoption of digital communication channels with patients.

The offer of these services varies according to the type of establishment, with a greater presence in SADT for viewing test results (72%), and in UBS for interaction with teams (42%).

Among telehealth services, in 2025, teleconsulting was the most widespread modality (36%), followed by teleconsultation (28%), telediagnosis (27%), and telemonitoring (20%). All these services showed growth compared to previous years, indicating a gradual expansion of remote care and greater integration between health professionals.

Information Security and Data Protection

Information security and data protection are areas of concern in health establishments, with 42% of them having a formal security policy, with higher adherence in the private sector (54%) compared to the public (28%). Nearly half of health establishments (47%) conducted information security training for employees. However, the implementation of more robust measures related to the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) is still limited; while awareness campaigns are the most common practice (46%), structured actions, such as appointing a data officer or incident response plans, are adopted by only about 30% of establishments.

About the Survey

The survey aims to investigate the penetration of ICT in health establishments and its appropriation by health professionals. In this 12th edition, interviews took place between February and November 2025 with 3,270 managers of health establishments located across the national territory. The survey is organized by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br) through the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), a department of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and is supported by international organizations - such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - as well as institutional and technical support from the Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Supplementary Health (ANS), the National Council of Health Secretariats (Conass), the National Council of Municipal Health Secretariats (Conasems), the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (EBSERH), the Brazilian Society of Health Informatics (SBIS), and specialists linked to important universities.

To access the full survey, visit: https://cetic.br/pesquisa/saude/.

About Cetic.br
The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), of NIC.br, is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on Internet access and use in Brazil, providing periodic analyses and information about the network development in the country. Cetic.br|NIC.br is also a Regional Study Center under the auspices of UNESCO and celebrates 20 years of operation in 2025. More information at https://cetic.br/. 

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br
The Brazilian Network Information Center — NIC.br (https://nic.br/) is a private, non-profit entity responsible for operating the .br domain, as well as distributing IP numbers and registering Autonomous Systems in the country. NIC.br implements the decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee - CGI.br since 2005, and all collected resources are from activities of an essentially private nature. It conducts actions and projects that benefit the Internet infrastructure in Brazil. NIC.br includes: Registro.br (https://registro.br), CERT.br (https://cert.br/), Ceptro.br (https://ceptro.br/), Cetic.br (https://cetic.br/), IX.br (https://ix.br/) and Ceweb.br (https://ceweb.br), as well as projects such as Internetsegura.br (https://internetsegura.br) and the Best Practices Portal for Internet in Brazil (https://bcp.nic.br/). It also hosts the W3C Chapter São Paulo office (https://w3c.br/).   

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br
The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee is responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinating and integrating all Internet service initiatives in the country and promoting technical quality, innovation, and dissemination of offered services. Based on the principles of multistakeholderism and transparency, CGI.br represents a democratic Internet governance model, praised internationally, where all sectors of society have an equitable part in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://cgi.br/resolucoes/documento/2009/003). More information at https://cgi.br/.  

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