Latin America struggling to join the global AI race

Brain drain, limited funding, weak AI policies and imported tech keep Latin America on the sidelines of AI innovation.
Latin America, AI startups, investment gap, brain drain, national AI strategy, regional cooperation, digital education, public-private collaboration, AI policy, technology imports

Currently, Latin America is lagging in AI innovation. It contributes only 0.3% of global startup activity and attracts a mere 1% of worldwide investment, despite housing around 8% of the global population.

Experts point to a significant brain drain, a lack of local funding options, weak policy frameworks, and dependency on foreign technology as major obstacles. Many high‑skilled professionals emigrate in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

To bridge the gap, regional governments are urged to develop coherent national AI strategies, foster regional collaboration, invest in digital education, and strengthen ties between the public and private sectors.

Strategic regulation and talent retention initiatives could help Latin America build its capacity and compete globally.

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