Brazil speeds up AI lawmaking

On August 4, 2026, Brazil’s Senate Science, Technology, Innovation and Informatics Committee debated PL 3,018/2024, a bill that seeks to regulate data centers used by artificial intelligence systems. The public hearing was called to guide the discussion and gather technical input on the data infrastructure that supports those technologies.

Main points in the debate

The session focused on energy efficiency, cybersecurity, data protection, and operating guidelines for these infrastructures. The hearing reinforced the overlap between the AI agenda and cybersecurity requirements, along with broader compliance obligations.

The CCT also said it had selected three priority bills for quick approval on AI and data centers. In that context, it also pointed to the arrival in the Senate of another House-backed proposal, PL 278/2026, introduced by José Guimarães, signaling a coordinated legislative effort to build a systemic regulatory framework for AI and its infrastructure in Brazil.

A broader legislative map

The push around PL 3,018/2024 comes as the Senate continues to process other initiatives tied to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms. These include Bill 4,752 of 2025, the Marco Legal da Ciberseguridade, as well as Bill 4,532 of 2024, on security measures in interactive AI systems. Also on the agenda are PL 2628/2022, later converted into Law No. 15,211 of September 17, 2025, and MPV 1318/2025, which creates a special tax regime for data center services, REDATA.

At the same time, the debate over digital market regulation remains open. According to a federal government assessment cited by CONTEE and Brasil 247, pressure from major tech companies and the involvement of U.S. representatives significantly reduced the chances of a vote before the election on the bill known as the digital markets bill, which sets competition rules for digital platforms in Brazil and has been moving under an urgency procedure since March 2025.

The agenda also includes other initiatives in the same vein, such as Bill 750 of 2026, on a National Aggressor Monitoring Program using AI, and parliamentary debates tied to the impact of the legal framework for artificial intelligence on social communication.