Artificial Intelligence trends: adoption, investment, and regional disparities

The global landscape of artificial intelligence is undergoing significant shifts in investment, adoption, and infrastructure. In the startup sector, a new category of companies known as ‘neolabs’ is attracting massive funding—such as the $1 billion raised by Flapping Airplanes—by prioritizing scientific research over immediate commercial products. To address liquidity challenges for employees in long-term private startups, Carta and NewView Capital have partnered to facilitate share buyback programs.

However, enterprise adoption faces hurdles. Experts warn that many companies fail to generate value because they confuse tool access with true process redesign. In Mexico, while nearly 25% of large companies use AI, specialists emphasize that organizations must map and redesign workflows before selecting specific tools. Similarly, in the healthcare sector, hospital pharmacists are calling for robust governance frameworks rather than restrictive policies to safely integrate AI into clinical practice.

Regional disparities remain a critical issue. A study by CEPAL and CENIA reveals that while AI research is growing in Latin America, resources are highly concentrated, with Brazil accounting for nearly 90% of the region's identified AI processors. Furthermore, the integration of AI is becoming a social norm, often perceived as a vital technological leap in developing nations, whereas more advanced economies exhibit greater ambivalence and distrust.