Latin America stands out globally for its high level of AI optimism. According to the Google and Ipsos “Our Life with AI” report, excitement in Mexico (69%), Brazil (61%), and Argentina (58%) significantly outpaces that of the Global North.
This optimism is translating into action as AI is already tackling some of Latin America’s most complex challenges, including making governments more efficient and effective. We are seeing this in Brazil, where the federal tax authority uses Gemini on Google Cloud to automate baggage screening at Guarulhos Airport, freeing officers to focus on high-risk cases; and in Mexico, where the Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) used Google’s AI tools to reduce audit times from 10 months to mere minutes.
Today, during the World Bank and IDB Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., we’re sharing three new initiatives, developed in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), to help advance AI adoption and digital transformation across Latin America.
Guiding the path forward with data
To help governments navigate the complexities of AI adoption, Google has commissioned “AI Works for Spanish Speaking Latin America,”a new AI Sprinters report with Foresight consultancy. According to this research, strategic and responsible adoption of AI could add between 3.6% and 6.7% to the region’s GDP — a potential impact of up to $242 billion every single year. That’s enough to cover the continent’s yearly infrastructure investment gap (according to the IDB), or half of the total public health spending in the region. This new report is designed to serve as a practical guide for policymakers on how to responsibly implement AI to foster economic growth and improve social services. To achieve this, the report highlights four essential pillars:
- Talent: Training the workforce and modernizing education to prepare for an AI-driven economy.
- Infrastructure: Expanding cloud capacity and high-speed connectivity to power local innovation.
- Technological Innovation: Incorporating new technology into existing industries, including supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in their transition to AI and fostering closer collaboration between academia and the private sector.
- Enabling Policies: Creating national AI strategies and evidence-based regulations that manage specific risks without hindering local innovation.
Training for an AI-ready public sector
To seize the AI opportunity, nations will need to equip public servants with new skills. To help governments do that, the IDB and Apolitical are launching a new AI Academy on the ImplementaLAC platform. Powered by content from the Government AI Campus (built with Google’s support), the Academy will provide free AI training for government officials in Spanish, Portuguese and English (among other languages), helping them harness the power of AI to better serve their communities.
Investing in a strong digital foundation
We’re also announcing $5 million in support from Google.org to the global nonprofit fund Co-Develop. This funding will help governments adopt proven, shared digital public infrastructure (DPI) like digital ID and payment systems. This technology is designed to be easily reused, saving nations from building expensive, custom software from scratch. A key example is the partnership with the IDB to scale IdLAC, a secure digital identity system across 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This system ensures that digital IDs are recognized across the continent’s borders. A citizen from Brazil, for instance, can use their credentials in Colombia or Argentina to seamlessly manage entry requirements, verify vaccine coverage or fulfill medical prescriptions while traveling.
These new initiatives build on our partnership with the IDB, helping governments and citizens across Latin America to capture the immense AI opportunity. By working together, we can help ensure the region is at the forefront of the AI transformation, creating a more prosperous and inclusive future for all.
