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With information from ECLAC. Latin America and the Caribbean are rapidly advancing in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), although the region still faces major challenges related to investment, talent development, and governance, according to the third edition of the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA 2025), presented by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence of Chile (CENIA).

The ILIA 2025, which assesses AI readiness, adoption, and governance in 19 countries, is based on more than 100 subindicators organized into three dimensions: enabling factors, research, development and adoption, and governance. This pioneering tool offers a comprehensive overview of the region’s progress and the structural challenges that still limit the deployment of artificial intelligence.

The results indicate that the region is accelerating AI adoption, exceeding expectations based on its digital weight. According to ECLAC estimates, Latin America and the Caribbean account for 14% of global visits to AI solutions, a figure higher than the region’s 11% share of global internet users. However, progress remains uneven: Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay stand out as pioneers, each scoring over 60 points on the index, while Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic lead the group of adopters that are closing gaps thanks to improved connectivity, talent, and national strategies. More than one-third of the countries remain in the “explorer” category, with nascent ecosystems and limited capabilities.

The report warns of structural gaps in talent, investment, and governance. In terms of human capital, advanced training in AI remains insufficient and is concentrated in a few countries, while the talent gap compared to the global average has widened since 2022 due to a growing brain drain of AI specialists. On the investment front, although the region represents 6.6% of global GDP, it attracts only 1.12% of total global AI investment, limiting its ability to scale technological and innovative initiatives.

While an increasing number of countries have developed national AI strategies, most lack funding, implementation mechanisms, and impact evaluation systems. Moreover, few policies include gender equity or environmental sustainability perspectives, despite their importance for inclusive and green development. Often, these strategies focus primarily on regulation rather than on building a technological ecosystem that promotes productivity and social well-being.

According to José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC, artificial intelligence can become a key driver to overcome the region’s development traps. “For that to happen,” he emphasized, “it is essential to align digitalization policies with productive development strategies, close infrastructure, talent, innovation, and governance gaps, and promote regional cooperation that ensures an ethical, inclusive, and responsible use of AI.”

The study also highlights that consumer-oriented applications with low technical skills currently dominate AI adoption in the region. However, this trend presents an opportunity to democratize innovation and enhance productivity—provided that countries foster environments conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship.

Álvaro Soto, Director of ILIA at CENIA, explained that this new edition of the index not only assesses preparedness but also explores the current impacts of AI in the region, including its effects on employment and productivity. “Countries are highly interested, but there is no sense of urgency,” he noted, emphasizing that no Latin American country exceeds the world average in AI investment per capita GDP.

Finally, Claudia Gintersdorfer, Ambassador of the European Union to Chile, highlighted that AI is becoming a key driver of digital transformation and that the ILIA serves not only as a diagnostic tool but also as a roadmap to guide the region toward a fair, inclusive, and people-centered transition.

The ILIA 2025 is an important tool that helps create policies based on facts, promoting a way of using artificial intelligence that leads to better, fairer, and more sustainable growth in Latin America and the Caribbean.