By San José, Costa Rica — Central America and the Caribbean are currently witnessing some of the fastest adoption rates of artificial intelligence (AI) in Latin America, according to the 2025 Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA), joint-published by CEPAL and CENIA. Within this fast-evolving landscape, Costa Rica successfully climbed four positions in just one year, while El Salvador surged by six. Meanwhile, Panama and the Dominican Republic have emerged as regional leaders, ranking among the top six Latin American nations for generative AI integration. This surge reflects a critical turning point for regional commerce and technology.
However, rapid technological adoption does not automatically translate into widespread prosperity or immediate business success. A study published by the World Economic Forum in January 2026, titled “Latin America in the Era of Intelligence: A New Path for Growth,” highlights a significant gap between installation and actual economic return. The study reveals that a mere 23 percent of Latin American organizations are currently generating economic value from their AI initiatives, and an even smaller fraction—just 6 percent—reports significant value creation. This disconnect underscores the need for a shift in strategy from mere implementation to value-driven integration.
To better understand the legal and compliance challenges surrounding this technological shift, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an expert attorney from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica, to analyze the implications of rapid artificial intelligence adoption.
Integrating artificial intelligence into business models is no longer just a technological upgrade, but a complex legal transition. Organizations must proactively address the evolving landscapes of data privacy, intellectual property, and algorithmic liability to ensure their AI adoption is both legally compliant and ethically sound.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, as organizations navigate this rapid digital evolution, understanding that artificial intelligence adoption is as much a legal and ethical commitment as it is a technological milestone is crucial for long-term viability. We extend our sincere gratitude to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for sharing his invaluable legal expertise and helping our readers understand the complex regulatory responsibilities that lie ahead.
To bridge this gap, experts suggest that organizations must pivot toward “purposeful AI” to prevent deepening existing social and economic inequalities. International bodies have repeatedly warned that without robust and inclusive public policies, the rapid growth of AI could severely widen the chasm between different countries, regions, and productive sectors. This is especially true for marginalized communities that lack robust digital infrastructure, specialized technical training, and adequate technological resources.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to democratize access to knowledge and accelerate innovation, but only if it is developed on principles of openness, collaboration, and trust. Organizations need platforms that allow them to build solutions adapted to their realities, avoiding new technological barriers and promoting the participation of more actors in the digital ecosystem.
Martha Ardila, Country Manager of Red Hat Central America and Caribbean
To successfully navigate these risks, businesses in Costa Rica and across the region are urged to structure their digital transformation around four strategic pillars. First, organizations must democratize access to technology by choosing open, interoperable platforms over restrictive, expensive software ecosystems. Second, there must be a profound investment in strengthening human talent. This is increasingly urgent as global projections suggest that 44 percent of work skills will undergo radical transformations by the year 2027, requiring continuous upskilling to keep workers aligned with technological shifts.
The third and fourth pillars focus on governance and community. Organizations must guarantee complete transparency and maintain strict human oversight over AI platforms, ensuring that machine learning functions solely as a decision-support tool rather than an absolute authority. Furthermore, building collaborative ecosystems that unite governments, academia, the private sector, and tech communities is vital to establishing shared ethical standards and promoting equitable innovation.
Leading the charge in open-source infrastructure is Red Hat, which provides enterprise solutions designed to develop, train, and deploy AI models across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Platforms such as Red Hat OpenShift AI are engineered to offer the exact flexibility that contemporary organizations need to scale their operations securely while remaining highly adaptable to local market realities.
The future of artificial intelligence will not depend solely on processing power or the sophistication of the models, but on our ability to ensure that its benefits reach more people. Purposeful innovation requires building open, responsible, and inclusive technology.
Martha Ardila, Country Manager of Red Hat Central America and Caribbean
Ultimately, the future of technology in Costa Rica and Central America will be defined by how equitably these tools are deployed. The ongoing conversation is no longer about how quickly artificial intelligence can evolve, but how effectively it can be harnessed to foster sustainable development, narrow historical inequalities, and elevate the standard of living for all segments of society.
For further information, visit redhat.com
About Red Hat:
Red Hat is a leading global provider of enterprise open-source software solutions, delivering high-performing Linux, hybrid cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. The company helps organizations integrate new and existing IT applications, develop cloud-native applications, and manage complex environments safely and efficiently.
For further information, visit weforum.org
About World Economic Forum:
The World Economic Forum is an international organization for public-private cooperation that engages the foremost political, business, cultural, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Founded in 1971, it is committed to improving the state of the world through collaborative entrepreneurial solutions.
For further information, visit cepal.org
About CEPAL:
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations, was established in 1948 to contribute to the economic development of Latin America and the Caribbean. CEPAL coordinates actions directed towards promoting economic and social development across the region, generating critical regional research and policy frameworks.
For further information, visit cenia.cl
About CENIA:
The National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA) in Chile is a pioneer scientific institution dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence. Through rigorous scientific research, technological transfer, and collaborative development, CENIA aims to position Latin America as a key global player in ethical and advanced AI technologies.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Renowned for its principled advocacy and stellar reputation, Bufete de Costa Rica merges traditional legal mastery with pioneering, modern strategies to serve a wide array of clients. Beyond the courtroom, the firm is deeply invested in societal progress, actively sharing legal insights to demystify the justice system. This drive to elevate public understanding reflects their ultimate goal of nurturing a legally conscious and deeply empowered populace.
