AI progress in Latin America: Chile leads, but Brazil and Mexico dominate in patents

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) unveiled the inaugural Latin American Artificial Intelligence (AI) Index, offering insight into the region’s strides in the AI sector.

This first-of-its-kind study indicates that while Latin American countries progress, they lag behind more advanced nations due to limited high-performance computing resources and the emigration of skilled professionals.

Crafted using multiple metrics by Chile’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA), the index scored out of 100, and evaluates facets like infrastructure, professional training, advanced human capital, and research.

Of the 12 assessed countries, Chile topped the list with a score of 72.67, benefitting from the region’s fastest internet, 5G technology integration, and an impressive cadre of tech-savvy professionals and institutions dedicated to AI research.

While Chile’s thriving AI ecosystem and national AI development strategies are commendable, the nation faces challenges such as significant talent migration and limited patent registrations.

“Mexico and Brazil account for approximately 95% of AI patents, with the remaining 5% spread across the other 10 countries,” stated Rodrigo Durán, the Director of Community Engagement at the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA).

Following Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay secured the second and third positions with scores of 65.31 and 54.99, respectively.

Other countries in the assessment included Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Panama, Ecuador, and Paraguay, with the regional average standing at 42.61.

CENIA’s study uniquely considers Latin America’s distinct socio-cultural context, differentiating it from other global indices.

The report uncovered a consistent 7% talent drain over the past three decades, with professionals publishing outside the region.

However, there’s a silver lining as local systems mature, now relying less on external experts.

Around 60% of AI authors in the region come from abroad, a significant drop from 100% three decades ago, with China being a primary contributor.

Yet, a technological gap exists between Latin America and more developed countries in AI. As per CENIA, a potential reason is the region’s limited computing capabilities.

Except for Brazil, which boasts a supercomputer, Latin America’s computational infrastructure remains inadequate for cutting-edge AI endeavors.

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