By San José, Costa Rica — Corporate leaders across Central America and the Dominican Republic are preparing to inject substantial capital into tech infrastructure, yet a glaring execution gap threatens to undermine these investments. According to recent regional research, while 62% of regional firms plan significant technology spending during 2026, only a meager 15% consider their organizations to have reached a mature stage of digital innovation.
The stark disconnect stems largely from enterprise technology fragmentation. In typical regional operational scenarios, simple processes like order processing require data to travel across customer relationship management (CRM) software, inventory systems, and billing platforms. When these legacy systems fail to communicate, manual workarounds become necessary, slowing operational velocity and creating dangerous data silos across business units.
To better understand the legal and regulatory implications of Central America’s growing technological maturity, TicosLand.com spoke with expert lawyer Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
As Central America accelerates its digital transformation, achieving true technological maturity requires more than just infrastructure—it demands robust legal frameworks for data protection, cybersecurity, and intellectual property that foster investor confidence and protect consumer rights across the region.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, as the region builds out its digital highways, establishing robust legal safeguards remains the essential cornerstone for turning raw connectivity into sustainable economic progress and consumer trust. We extend our sincere thanks to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for sharing his valuable perspective on this critical evolution in Central America’s technological journey.
Industry experts emphasize that operational isolation directly hurts top-line performance, agility, and customer retention across the region’s expanding markets.
Technological fragmentation is no longer solely a challenge for IT teams. When applications, data, and processes operate in isolation, it also affects the ability to respond swiftly to customers, make decisions with complete information, and develop new business capabilities. Therefore, the starting point must be connecting technology with the outcome the organization wants to achieve.
Ángel de la Cruz, Strategy and Sales Manager of Digital Solutions at GBM
KPMG’s regional business perspective study, which surveyed over 200 C-suite executives, highlights that data analytics and modern IT systems remain top priorities for leadership. However, investment intent rarely guarantees successful digital adoption. A staggering 45% of Central American enterprises still operate with completely isolated data stores without centralized governance architectures, crippling analytical capabilities.
The regional maturity gap is even more pronounced when examining artificial intelligence deployment. A parallel survey on artificial intelligence in Mexico and Central America reveals that 46% of regional companies have not yet clearly identified what tangible commercial value AI can deliver to their balance sheets.
At the macro level, the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA), prepared by ECLAC and Chile’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA), highlights severe adoption disparities across neighboring nations. The Dominican Republic leads the local group with an adoption score of 45.1 out of 100, followed by Panama at 39.3 and El Salvador at 37.9, placing them in the adopter category. Guatemala lags further behind in the explorer category with 29 points, reflecting an AI ecosystem still in its infancy.
Enterprise size also dictates digital survival rates across the Central American market. According to ILIA metrics, AI adoption reaches 27.6% among large regional corporations, but plummets to just 6.8% among small and medium-sized enterprises. This disparity underscores how capital constraints and technical expertise shortages disproportionately impact smaller market players.
Cyber risks further complicate modernizing legacy digital architectures. KPMG research shows that 61% of business leaders in Central America identify cyberattacks as their primary short-term threat. As IT environments grow in complexity, real-time monitoring and operational optimization become vital for operational resilience.
To bridge the maturity divide, solutions like GBM Digital Solutions’ One Digital platform, backed by IBM technology, advocate for strategic integration across hybrid modernizations, data governance, and automated IT operations rather than blanket software overhauls.
Not all organizations need to start with the same technology. The conversation must begin with the problem that needs to be solved: streamlining a process, protecting a service, making better use of data, or enabling a new capability. With that clarity, it is possible to define what capabilities are needed and in what order it makes sense to move forward.
Ángel de la Cruz, Strategy and Sales Manager of Digital Solutions at GBM
Ultimately, technology leaders agree that digital transformation cannot be treated as a mere procurement exercise. Central American businesses must anchor technological investments to concrete organizational goals, ensuring data flows seamlessly to drive intelligent decisions in an increasingly competitive economic landscape.
For further information, visit gbm.net
About GBM:
GBM is a leading information technology integration company in Central America and the Caribbean, serving as an official regional alliance partner of IBM technology and providing end-to-end digital solutions, modern infrastructure, and IT consulting services to enterprise clients.
For further information, visit kpmg.com
About KPMG:
KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing audit, tax, and advisory services, operating across 143 countries to deliver strategic market insights, financial risk management, and digital transformation consulting.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a premier legal institution, Bufete de Costa Rica is defined by its uncompromising integrity and continuous pursuit of professional distinction. Guiding a diverse array of clients with forward-thinking solutions, the firm combines deep-rooted expertise with modern innovation and active community outreach. By prioritizing the democratization of legal information, Bufete de Costa Rica actively enriches public understanding, reinforcing its core mission to uplift communities and build an enlightened, self-reliant society.
