FEATURE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AI is transforming the world of work. In addition, by producing annual reports we move from a snapshot to a motion picture of the evolution of AI in Latin America.”
The CENIA Director also noted that“ countries show great interest, but no sense of urgency. Despite overwhelming evidence of AI’ s positive impact on productivity, employment, quality of life and business opportunities, no change in trends is yet apparent. Beyond their relative position in ILIA, no country exceeds the world average in AI investment relative to GDP per capita, and the regional average remains six times below that threshold.”
Finally, Claudia Gintersdorfer, Ambassador of the European Union to Chile and Representative to ECLAC, said that:“ AI is consolidating as a driver of digital transformation, and that is why the European Union has supported the development of ILIA, now in its third edition. We believe this index is not only a diagnostic tool but also a roadmap – compass to guide the region toward a transition that is fair, inclusive and people-centered.”
Background
Across Latin America, AI adoption is also being influenced by demographic shifts, the fast growth of mobile Internet access and increasing demand for digital public services. As governments digitalise tax systems, healthcare platforms and educational content,
AI tools are increasingly integrated into workflows.
Small and medium-sized Why investment matters enterprises( SMEs) are also beginning to explore Even as adoption rises, experts say scaling highvalue AI initiatives requires:
AI-driven automation, though most remain in early stages. Barriers • Research centres with long-term funding include the cost of
• University – industry collaboration implementation, lack • Stable innovation policies of training and limited • Regional data strategies awareness of the tangible • Talent retention schemes economic benefits. In • High-speed Internet and cloud access many cases SMEs rely • Stronger Digital Transformation policies heavily on cloud-based AI solutions that can be Without these foundations, countries risk deployed quickly with becoming consumers rather than producers of low technical expertise, AI-based value. reinforcing the trend noted in the report that adoption is concentrated on ready-made tools rather than custom development.
At the same time, universities and research organisations in a handful of countries are pushing the frontier of regional AI capabilities. Brazil and Chile in particular have expanded their AI postgraduate programmes and high-performance computing facilities, providing a foundation for future innovation. But the disparity across nations continues to widen as many countries face budget constraints.
Regional cooperation is emerging as a recurring theme. Organisations such as ECLAC argue that without cross-border collaboration, the region risks fragmented data governance, duplicated efforts and inconsistent regulation. Harmonised standards could help accelerate responsible AI deployment and support the development of shared infrastructure such as regional data hubs.
Another area gaining attention is the ethical dimension of AI use. Concerns include potential misuse in surveillance, algorithmic bias affecting marginalised communities and limited transparency in automated decision-making. A small number of countries have begun drafting ethical AI guidelines, though these remain voluntary in most cases.
Despite the challenges, momentum is building. Public awareness of AI has grown rapidly thanks to widespread use of generative AI tools and increased media coverage. This presents governments with a critical opportunity to channel public interest into robust, scalable policies that support long-term Digital Transformation. p www. intelligentcio. com INTELLIGENTCIO LATAM 27