智能时代的拉丁美洲：一条新的增长之路

Latin America inthe Intelligent Age:A New Path for Growth W H I T EP A P E RJ A N U A R Y2 0 2 6 Contents Foreword3 Executive summary5 Introduction: analysing artificial intelligence in Latin America6 1Latin America: a region poised for economic andproductivity transformation8 1.1The economic potential and key drivers ofAI adoption in Latin America9 2Navigating Latin America’s AI competitiveness112.1 Building the foundations for intelligent economies112.2 Growing new intelligent economies132.3 Putting people at the heart of intelligent economies20 3Strategic path forward: building a competitive AI ecosystem243.1 10 targeted actions to drive execution24 Contributors29 Acknowledgements29 Endnotes31 Disclaimer This document is published by theWorld Economic Forum as a contributionto a project, insight area or interaction.The findings, interpretations andconclusions expressed herein are a resultof a collaborative process facilitated andendorsed by the World Economic Forumbut whose results do not necessarilyrepresent the views of the World EconomicForum, nor the entirety of its Members,Partners or other stakeholders. ©2026 World Economic Forum. All rightsreserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced or transmitted in any formor by any means, including photocopyingand recording, or by any informationstorage and retrieval system. Foreword Marisol Argueta Tracy Francis Head of the Regional Agenda,Latin America; Member ofthe Executive Committee,World Economic Forum Senior Partner, and ManagingPartner, Latin America,McKinsey & Company Cathy Li Francisco C. OrtegaSenior Partner,McKinsey & Company Head, Centre for AIExcellence; Member ofthe Executive Committee,World Economic Forum By enabling machines to reason, learn and interactwith complex systems, artificial intelligence (AI) isrevolutionizing industries, transforming governmentsand organizations, and shaping a new IntelligentAge with unparalleled opportunities for growth andinnovation. This presents a strategic opportunityto boost productivity in Latin America, wherecompetitiveness has historically been lower than inother regions. the status and drivers of adoption and sharingexamples of people-centric talent programmes andethical frameworks that have been endorsed bysenior leaders locally and globally. The report outlines 10 strategic actions,consolidated into a comprehensive roadmapdesigned to enhance AI competitiveness inthe Intelligent Age in Latin America. Readersare encouraged to reflect on the findings andcollaboratively ensure that the implementationof this roadmap delivers measurable positiveoutcomes throughout the region. Taking decisive,coordinated measures will position the region forsustained growth, while inaction may result inextended stagnation. This report was developed by the RegionalCollaboration initiative of the AI Global Alliance,harnessing the cooperative work of the WorldEconomic Forum’s Latin America team, the Centrefor AI Excellence and McKinsey & Company.It reflects a shared effort to engage regionalstakeholders and identify concrete pathways thatstrengthen AI competitiveness in Latin America. Incombining the teams’ expertise, it specifically aimsto mobilize investment, develop talent, supportresponsible innovation and foster knowledgeexchange across the region to build resilient,future-ready AI ecosystems. We would like to thank the 30 public- and private-sector senior leaders throughout Latin Americawho contributed ideas and insights to enrich ourreport. We are grateful to the approximately 130senior industry leaders who kindly responded to oursurvey. Our special gratitude goes to José ManuelSalazar-Xirinachs and his team at the United NationsEconomic Commission for Latin America and theCaribbean for hosting our mid-term workshop at theSchool of Digital Transformation and Innovation inSantiago, Chile, in September 2025. Our research for this report seeks to understandLatin America’s current and potential AIcompetitiveness by shedding light onto the regionalstructural foundations, presenting new data on The region has a unique opportunity to build itsown AI ecosystem, strengthen local innovationand drive sustainable economic growth. To seizethis moment, leaders across sectors will need toact strategically and collaboratively. While manyfeel the region has not fully capitalized on previoustechnological waves, the result can be different this time. By learning from global and local expertiseand experience, Latin America can become acreative exemplar of the Intelligent Age. We invite leaders across sectors and institutionsthroughout the region to work with us on thejourney ahead. Executive summary Latin America can leverage AI for positivelong-term economic and social impact. tools. Only small share of survey respondentsreport that their AI strategy is systematicallylinked to their broader business strategy. At amacro-level, AI strategies in the region couldfocus on adapting technologies and scal