This paper deals with the problem of control of partially known nonlinear systems, which have an open-loop stable equilibrium, but we would like to add a PI controller to regulate its behavior around another operating point. Our main contribution is the identification of a class of systems for which a globally stable PI can be designed knowing only the systems input matrix and measuring only the actuated coordinates. The construction of the PI is carried out invoking passivity theory. The difficulties encountered in the design of adaptive PI controllers with the existing theoretical tools are also discussed. As an illustration of the theory, we consider a class of thermal processes.