Artur Lima highlights Azores’ position as strategic transatlantic hub for data and technological innovation - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

The Vice-President of the Azores, Artur Lima, participated in the General Assembly of the Disruptive & Emerging Technology Alliance (DETA) in Boston, USA.

On the first day of the General Assembly, October 13, working meetings and conferences were held with experts in the fields of artificial intelligence governance, supercomputing and robotics at the Kempner Institute of Harvard University. These working sessions brought together some of the scientists who pioneered the artificial intelligence models currently used worldwide.

On October 14, a visit took place to the MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where the impacts of quantum computing on public governance and the latest developments in artificial intelligence applied to research were discussed.

On that occasion, the Vice-President of the Government emphasised that the Azores “are transforming their unique geographical position in the ocean – previously an obstacle arising from their remoteness – into a strategic competitive advantage for global connectivity.”

The Azores “are proudly establishing themselves as a transatlantic data hub of strategic importance, driven by transformative projects such as Google’s "Nuvem" and "Sol" submarine fibre-optic cable systems,” he stressed.

“In connecting the United States, Bermuda, the Azores and Mainland Europe, we are providing the essential physical infrastructure for the next generation of resilient international networks and artificial intelligence,” stated Artur Lima.

From this perspective, the Vice-President highlighted the “Atlantic bridge” between the Azores and the United States of America, “spanned by ideas and a mutual commitment to technological progress.”

The Vice-President also outlined the latest developments in the Azores in the fields of cutting-edge technology, scientific research and space exploration.

“With initiatives in the fields of high-performance computing and data, based at NONAGON in São Miguel, and a growing focus on space technologies, we are demonstrating that small autonomous regions can have an impact far greater than their size would suggest, establishing themselves as leading living laboratories for Europe and the Atlantic basin,” he emphasised.

The DETA General Assembly took place on October 13, 14 and 15 in Boston, USA.  This alliance brings together national and regional governments from around the world to promote debate and adapt public policies to technological innovation and disruption. At a national level, the Azores were the first to join DETA in March 2025.