Brazilians Dive Into Streaming and AI, Boosting Tech Giants' Revenues

Brazilians Dive Into Streaming and AI, Boosting Tech Giants’ Revenues

Written by Caio Aviz

Published on 10/08/2025 at 22:17

Uso simultâneo de streaming e inteligência artificial no Brasil aumenta envio de dólares para big techs e pressiona as contas externas.

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Digital Services Surge In Brazil And Increase Deficit In Intellectual Property And Telecommunications

The consumption of streaming and artificial intelligence is growing rapidly in Brazil in 2025, according to data from the Central Bank released in July by O Globo newspaper. In addition, this advance is already strongly impacting the balance of external accounts.

Billion-Dollar Deficit and Dependence on Big Techs

Remittances abroad to pay for digital services rose 24% in the first half of 2025 and consequently, the deficit in intellectual property and telecommunications reached US$ 9.94 billion, compared to US$ 8.02 billion in the same period of 2024.

This increase confirms Brazil’s dependence on foreign platforms such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Meta, OpenAI, Amazon, and IBM. As highlighted by Felipe Kotinda, an economist at Santander, in July 2025, this is “a structural flow, present in various social layers, that will continue in the coming years”.

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Change in Habits and Growth in Digital Subscriptions

The scenario shows that digital services have ceased to be just options for movies and corporate software. Therefore, they have started to integrate daily routines with streaming, cloud storage, and artificial intelligence.

According to a PwC report released in May 2025, Brazil is expected to spend US$ 39.4 billion on digital subscriptions this year. Moreover, this number represents a 4.6% increase over 2024, surpassing the global average growth, projected at 3.9%.

Real Cases Illustrate Consumption

The photographer Beatriz Kalil Othero stated, in June 2025, that her family subscribes to six music and movie services, spending around R$ 150 per month. Meanwhile, video editor Manuel Victor declared, in July 2025, that he opted for a digital games package.

For him, “it’s worth more to pay the subscription, which gives me more options for a single price”, as it avoids isolated purchases and reduces costs.

Corporate Investment and Outflow of Dollars

In the business sector, the use of artificial intelligence and cloud computing is growing rapidly. Gerdau allocates 5% of its net revenue to digital transformation, according to its March 2025 balance sheet.

Similarly, Febraban projected, in April 2025, that banks will invest R$ 47.8 billion in technology this year. However, this modernization increases the outflow of dollars, as most services and equipment come from abroad.

Economic Risk and Currency Vulnerability

This growing deficit in digital services occurs during a delicate period for Brazilian external accounts. The balance in current transactions rose from 1.1% of GDP in May 2024 to 3.4% in June 2025, according to the Central Bank.

Capital Economics warned, in July 2025, that the index could reach 4% by the end of the year. Without long-term foreign investments, the country becomes more vulnerable to currency volatility, which could further pressure the real and increase import costs.

Main Impacts of Digital Advancement

Deficit with digital services increased 24% in the first half of 2025.
Remittances to big techs totaled US$ 9.94 billion in the period.
Spending on digital subscriptions is expected to reach US$ 39.4 billion this year.
Growth in Brazil surpasses the global average.
Corporate investments in technology increase dollar outflows.
Projection of a deficit of up to 4% of GDP in 2025.

What do you think Brazil should prioritize: investing more in national services to reduce dollar outflow or expanding access to foreign technologies even with the impact on external accounts?

Brazilians Dive Into Streaming and AI, Boosting Tech Giants’ Revenues

Digital Services Surge In Brazil And Increase Deficit In Intellectual Property And Telecommunications

Billion-Dollar Deficit and Dependence on Big Techs

Change in Habits and Growth in Digital Subscriptions

Real Cases Illustrate Consumption

Corporate Investment and Outflow of Dollars

Economic Risk and Currency Vulnerability

Main Impacts of Digital Advancement

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Brazilians Dive Into Streaming and AI, Boosting Tech Giants’ Revenues

Digital Services Surge In Brazil And Increase Deficit In Intellectual Property And Telecommunications

Billion-Dollar Deficit and Dependence on Big Techs

Change in Habits and Growth in Digital Subscriptions

Real Cases Illustrate Consumption

Corporate Investment and Outflow of Dollars

Economic Risk and Currency Vulnerability

Main Impacts of Digital Advancement

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

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After 16 years and almost 600 prototypes, a Chinese inventor unveils the world’s smallest and cheapest manned jet, at just 3.80 meters long and costing US$7.2 thousand in materials.

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