Investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and inequality: perspectives from Latin America: REFLEXÕES SOBRE A AMÉRICA LATINA

Abstract

This article analyzes investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Latin America and their implications for regional inequality, considering the asymmetry between central and peripheral countries. The research adopts a qualitative and quantitative approach, with an exploratory and descriptive nature, based on a literature review. The results indicate that, while the United States and China concentrate investments in high-technology sectors, Latin America still shows a low volume of funding, with a predominance of applications in traditional areas such as finance and e-commerce. This configuration reinforces technological dependence and limits the region’s capacity to generate its own disruptive innovations. Among the main challenges are the lack of digital infrastructure, the shortage of specialized talent, and the fragmentation of public policies. The study concludes that overcoming these barriers requires coordinated strategies to strengthen technological sovereignty, increase investment in education and science, and create regulatory and institutional environments that encourage sustainable innovation.