Lisbon, Sept. 30, 2026 (Lusa) - Portuguese workers believe it is important to develop distinctive human skills in the face of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a study that found they are the most convinced (32%) compared to the average across the countries and regions analysed.
In a press release, Cegoc presented the national results of the 2026 edition of the international study ‘Transformations, Skills and Learning', carried out by the Cegos group, in which it concluded that «employees in Portugal are the most convinced that the main differentiating factor in training up to 2035 will lie in the development of human skills», with 32% in Portugal compared to an average of 23% across the 11 countries and regions.
According to the study, 31% of employees surveyed anticipate that their job may evolve significantly (26% in Portugal) and 74% expect changes in the nature of their work (73% in Portugal).
As for human resources professionals (HR directors), 75% in Portugal «anticipate a profound transformation of professional roles (the highest figure, 35 percentage points above the global average)».
Furthermore, 68% of HR professionals surveyed (60% in Portugal) «rank AI and automation as the main transformations that will affect skills within their organisations over the next two years».
According to HR directors, 23% of current jobs «have a significant opportunity for skills updating over the next three years» and 65% of these professionals «prioritise reskilling over recruitment (70% in Portugal)».
Looking ahead to 2035, «employees and HR directors, on the whole, anticipate a world of work that will be, above all, more technology-centred», as well as «more mobile and more agile».
Nevertheless, and contrary to the global average, «HR directors in Portugal place greater emphasis on the more mobile/agile nature of the workplace than on technology», while employees are «confident in their ability to adapt to this environment (average score of 7/10, both globally and in Portugal)».
On skills, 91% of HR directors say skills development «is strategic for their organisation (95% in Portugal)», while «78% of employees share this view (68% in Portugal, the lowest figure)».
Furthermore, «one in four employees already feels that their skills are becoming outdated or expects this to happen».
According to the study, «79% of employees use Generative AI for personal purposes», and 64% use it for professional purposes; in Portugal, these figures are 86% and 65%, respectively.
Only «23% of employees in Portugal have received training in Generative AI in the last 12 months, the lowest figure in the study (globally, the figure is 50%)».
This online inquiry was conducted amongst 5,524 employees (including 508 in Portugal) and 498 HR managers (including 45 in Portugal), in private companies or public organisations with more than 50 employees, in December 2025 and January 2026, across 11 countries.
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