TALKING POINT
2026 SET TO DELIVER AI RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR LATIN AMERICAN COMPANIES
GlobalLogic says AI projects across Latin America are moving beyond experimentation with 2026 expected to deliver measurable returns on investment through process optimisation and increased automation.
Latin America is going through a stage of strong momentum in the adoption of AI, with more than half of the companies in the region researching or implementing traditional and generative AI solutions, according to reports. However, the next big leap is represented by the so-called artificial intelligence agents, systems capable of connecting to business ecosystems, making decisions and automating entire processes.
This was stated by Gabriel Arango, head of Technology for LatAm at GlobalLogic.“ The region has always been an innovation hub and today we see a high interest in continuing to adopt AI and move to the integration phase of AI agents. In this scenario, the main barriers are not exclusively technological but structural: the lack of data governance, the low quality of historical information, legacy systems and poorly digitized business processes,” he said.
According to Arango, many organisations are moving beyond experimentation and pilot programmes to begin embedding AI tools into their core operations. This transition is helping businesses evaluate how automation and intelligent systems can improve efficiency, reduce errors and support better decisionmaking across multiple departments. Companies are also beginning to measure the real impact of AI initiatives and align them more closely with business objectives. manufacturing and mining are advancing first in digitalization processes, he said. These sectors are expected to gradually integrate AI once stronger digital foundations are established and data management improves.
Talent, a central challenge
GlobalLogic also identifies a strong shortage of specialized profiles in the IT sector in Latin America, in particular roles such as data scientists and engineers, cybersecurity as well as business specialists capable of translating the needs of sectors such as banking, insurance or retail into effective AI solutions.
In the area of software development, the main challenge is not the lack of professionals, Arango said, but their retraining to work in an ecosystem where AI agents act as collaborators who automate testing, design and user experience tasks.
This trend is also reflected at the local level. In Colombia, according to the employability and digital talent study carried out by the Ministry of ICT and Fedesoft( December 2025), 50 % of the demand for the Colombian industry is oriented towards profiles specialized in Big Data and analytics, followed by AI, machine learning( 47 %), digital marketing, cloud computing, IoT and cybersecurity.
Cases in the region
For the GlobalLogic executive, the advancement of AI in companies in the region is already showing concrete results.“ During 2025 we developed many projects that are currently being productive and I believe that 2026 will be the year in which we begin to see concrete returns on investment especially in terms of process optimization. For example, among the organizations we work with, one telecommunications company reduced monthly billing errors by 98 %, from about 20,000 credit notes per month to just a few hundred,” he said.
Likewise, Arango added:“ in the financial sector, a bank in Mexico automated 90 % of credit approvals thanks to AI systems, while a cybersecurity company managed to reduce audit processes from four days to just two hours through automated document analysis.”
At the same time that sectors such as finance, telecommunications, logistics and research and development areas lead the adoption of enterprise AI, other key industries for the region such as agriculture, energy,
I believe that AI is leading us towards continuous learning and retraining, I do not consider that it will eliminate jobs in the long term because it poses an opportunity to generate new businesses.
“ I believe that AI is leading us towards continuous learning and retraining, I do not consider that it will eliminate jobs in the long term because it poses an opportunity to generate new businesses, new solutions, massification of a lot of digital products, so in the long run we will need the same or greater number of specialized professionals,” Arango said.
The commitment to AI in the region
Currently, in Latin America, GlobalLogic develops more than 200 projects that incorporate AI, both in the final user experience and in the development processes of business solutions. As part of its strategy, the company works with an ecosystem of technology partners, including Google Cloud, AWS, Salesforce and Snowflake, and focuses on the layers of data and applications that enable AI to be brought to the real business.
“ The key to adopting AI is not to do everything in isolation but to orchestrate an ecosystem of specialized partners, with clear business objectives and solid data governance,” said Arango. •
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