My cookie preferencesAI in Latin America: Attempts of Regulating Artificial Intelligence within the Geopolitical Paradigm of Active Non-Alignment (ANA): A Critical Review
Benedikter R, Cruz Infante C
This introductory article provides an overview of the intellectual, ethical and socio-economic developments introduced by AI regulation efforts in contemporary Latin America (Latam). The use of this technology is linked not only to instrumental or social considerations, but also to the geopolitical dynamics related to the recent polarization within globalization and the resulting dialectics of alignments vs. non-alignments of Latin American actors with major global powers and their lead ideologies. In particular, this review focuses on the role of potential or upcoming AI regulations within the ANA (actively non-aligned) geopolitical paradigm which is increasingly gaining traction among Latam countries, thus contributing to transform aspects of North–South relations. The choice of ANA is significant for Latam AI policies as it offers Latin American nations an opportunity to navigate the contemporary geopolitical landscape with their own search for solutions, in most cases sustained by international organizations, without being overly reliant on foreign powers, thereby enabling them to pursue a more independent path in shaping AI futures tailored to their own precize societal situations, needs and perspectives. The opportunities that AI presents to the countries involved emphasize how AI technology can serve as a tool for economic transformation, if the ethical, political and institutional challenges that come with it are addressed by proper contextualization. Instead of imposing outside-made AI regulations on specific, highly diverse and often contradictory Latin American realities, globally emerging umbrella approaches such as Anticipatory Innovation Governance (AIG) and Futures Literacy (FL), accompanied by a more pronounced science diplomacy, may help Latin America to establish its own AI regulatory frameworks which could then serve as partial models for others. We review several institutional reports and policy recommendations from international and multilateral organizations along with academic literature and media outlets regarding the region’s AI policy strategies thereby providing context for Latin America’s evolving position within the broader international context.
DOI: 10.1057/s42738-026-00156-y