The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and Chile’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA) have released the third edition of the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA 2025), which measures AI preparedness, adoption and governance in 19 countries.
The report shows that AI use in the region is expanding rapidly: Latin America and the Caribbean account for 14% of global visits to AI tools, despite representing only 11% of global internet users.
Chile, Brazil and Uruguay lead the index as “pioneers,” followed by “adopters” such as Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
However, over one-third of countries remain “explorers,” with limited capacity and early-stage ecosystems.
Persistent structural gaps constrain growth. The region produces 6.6% of global GDP but attracts just 1.1% of worldwide AI investment. Talent shortages have widened since 2022 due to limited training and brain drain, while many national AI strategies lack funding and evaluation mechanisms.
ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs said AI could help overcome Latin America’s “development traps” if digital and productive policies are aligned to close infrastructure, innovation and governance gaps.
CENIA Director Álvaro Soto added that countries show “interest but little urgency,” as none surpass the world average in AI investment per capita.
Supported by the EU–LAC Digital Alliance, ILIA 2025 serves as a key benchmark for guiding inclusive, ethical and sustainable AI development across the region.
