Central American digital and energy trends drive regional investment

Regional leaders and businesses in Central America are addressing the intersection of digital transformation and infrastructure. In Guatemala, the Innovation Day Centroamérica event focused on how electrification, digitalization, and artificial intelligence are reshaping energy management and the need for resilient critical infrastructure.

In Costa Rica, a study by PROCOMER highlights a significant gap in technology governance; while 76% of tech firms utilize generative AI, only 9% have established formal internal policies. Additionally, the University of Costa Rica (UCR) has signed a five-year agreement with Crecex to link academic research with the needs of the foreign trade sector, facilitating internships and applied research.

In El Salvador, IFX is investing approximately USD 6 million between 2026 and 2027 to expand data centers and fiber optic networks. This move is part of a broader USD 400 million regional plan to ensure that the infrastructure required for artificial intelligence is hosted locally within Latin America to meet regulatory and speed requirements.