Science & Tech · AI · 6 hrs ago
Google executive says Brazil has potential to apply AI in the physical world
Google executive Newton Neto said Brazil's strongest AI potential is in the physical world during a business conference in Chicago.
He argued that AI can do more than power apps, pointing to Waymo's self-driving cars as an example.
Neto said Google Street View's mapping data helped support the technology behind autonomous driving, which he described as ten times safer than a human driver.
He said Brazil could use AI to improve the country's energy grid.
He also cited a Google partnership with MapBiomas that used AI to help prepare flood warnings for people near the Amazon River; alerts issued with Civil Defense reached more than 50 million people.
Neto said good AI use depends on clear goals and governance, so that systems work as intended.
Google executive Newton Neto said Brazil has strong potential to apply artificial intelligence in the physical world.
He cited energy-grid optimisation and flood alerts as examples of practical AI applications.
Neto said AI projects extend beyond apps and can have real-world effects.
He said good AI use depends on clear objectives, governance and protocols.
Neto spoke at the MBA Brasil 2026 conference in Chicago.
- Who
- Newton Neto, Google’s senior director of partnerships for Latin America and Canada.
- What
- He said Brazil’s potential lies in applying AI in the physical world.
- When
- At the MBA Brasil 2026 conference, held on November 6 and 7.
- Where
- Chicago, United States.
- Why
- He said AI is increasingly being integrated into people’s daily lives and can have practical effects in the physical world.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The MBA Brasil 2026 conference was held in Chicago.
InfoMoney published its report on Neto’s comments at the conference.
- Speaker
- Newton Neto
- Conference
- MBA Brasil 2026
- Conference location
- Chicago, United States
- Conference dates
- November 6–7, 2026
- Flood-alert reach
- More than 50 million people were affected by alerts, according to Neto’s account
What people are saying
Brazil’s potential is the application of AI in the physical world
The robot driver, which uses this data mapping, is ten times safer than a human driver.
It is very important to understand what the objectives and governance are to ensure that things work well.