Hello from Brasília!
I've been diving into the latest AI initiatives in Brazil’s Senate, and there’s plenty of exciting innovation happening.
This week, I got a firsthand look at how artificial intelligence is making legislative processes more transparent and efficient—from breaking down complex bills into plain language for the public to speeding up the analysis of thousands of tax reform amendments.
Here’s what you need to know!
Beatriz Rey, Ph.D.
The Senate’s Latest AI Initiative: "Senado Explica"
Brazil’s Senate has launched Senado Explica, a new initiative that uses artificial intelligence to simplify legislative proposals, making them more accessible to the public. The project translates complex legal texts into plain language, ensuring that Brazilians better understand how proposed laws could impact their daily lives.
As an example of AI’s role in legislative processes, Senate IT analysts João Lima and Lauro César Araújo highlight a proposed law with an ambiguous description: it states that it amends paragraph five of Article 43 of Law 8,078—without explicitly mentioning which law it refers to. “This law is the Consumer Protection Code,” they clarify.
AI provides two key insights to the public. First, it interprets the bill’s description and translates it into plain language: the proposal seeks to ensure that when a consumer settles a debt at a discount, this does not negatively impact their access to credit.
Second, AI interprets the proposal’s impact based on the sponsor’s justification: consumers would gain stronger protection against credit restrictions when settling debts at a discount, making new credit more accessible. Financial institutions and credit agencies may need to adjust reporting systems to prevent unfair penalties on credit histories.
Senado Explica is already being applied to constitutional amendments (PECs), complementary bills (PLPs), provisional measures (MPVs), and Congressional bills (PLNs). Starting this legislative session, all standard bills (PLs) will also be included in the system. The AI-generated summaries undergo human review before publication and are now available on the Senate’s legislative portal and e-Cidadania platform.
The idea behind this initiative is straightforward: legislative texts are often difficult to comprehend due to their legal jargon and procedural complexity. AI acts as a bridge between legislators and the public, converting these technical documents into easy-to-read summaries. This, in turn, fosters greater civic engagement, enabling people to follow legislative debates and hold their representatives accountable.
AI and the Analysis of Tax Reform Amendments
Beyond simplifying legislation for the public, AI has also been used to assist Senate consultants in managing the overwhelming workload of legislative analysis. One of the most striking examples of this was its use during Brazil’s recent tax reform process.
A total of 1,085 amendments were proposed—each requiring analysis and classification by Senate consultants to guide legislative deliberations. To streamline this process, the Senate’s tech team deployed AI to analyze, categorize, and summarize the amendments in a structured format. Using a combination of AI-generated summaries and manual classification, seven consultants were able to compile a comprehensive report in just one week.
By accelerating this process, AI allowed consultants to focus on refining the final report rather than spending time on tedious manual classification. While AI played a crucial role in efficiency, human oversight remained essential in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the information.
What’s Next?
The Brazilian Senate is continuing to expand its AI capabilities. Upcoming initiatives to be launched this year include:
Facial recognition for voting and attendance: Senators will soon be able to use facial recognition for logging votes and confirming their presence in legislative sessions.
Enhanced AI support for legislative research and reports: The Senate is developing AI-assisted tools to help legislative consultants draft summaries, technical notes, and analytical reports more efficiently.
The broader lesson from these projects is clear: AI is being integrated into legislative work not as a replacement for human decision-making, but as an aid to improve efficiency, transparency, and accessibility. As these initiatives unfold, Brazil’s approach could serve as a valuable case study for other parliaments looking to modernize their legislative processes.
A Quick Note
Brazilian legislators have elected new leadership for its House of Representatives and Senate this weekend, with Hugo Motta and Davi Alcolumbre chosen as Speakers of the House and Senate, respectively. There is an expectation that AI will continue to develop. Additionally, Speaker Hugo Motta has expressed his intention to adopt a more informal and straightforward communication style to better engage with the social media generation.
Thanks!