From Consumer to Creator: The Startup View on AI Investment in Latin America with German Dario Gomez Hernandez

German Dario Gomez Hernandez discusses AI in Latin America: the industries leading adoption, barriers to scaling, and the path to a sovereign, inclusive tech ecosystem

Latin America is on the verge of a technological identity crisis, it can either remain a perpetual consumer of foreign AI or become a creator of solutions for its own unique challenges.

To explore this pivotal moment, we spoke with German Dario Gomez Hernandez, Co-Founder & CEO of DesarrollandoAndo. He argues that while industries like contact centers and fintech are leading the charge, the region's future depends on overcoming a fundamental dependency on foreign technology and outdated education systems.

Gomez Hernandez provides a candid look at the barriers of investment, talent, and regulation, and shares his vision for a self-sufficient Latin American AI ecosystem built on local talent, open-source tools, and a culture of rapid experimentation.

Interview with German Dario Gomez Hernandez

How is the adoption of artificial intelligence evolving across Latin America, and which industries are leading the way in AI-driven transformation?

The adoption of artificial intelligence in Latin America is evolving rapidly and becoming a key driver of digital transformation. While many solutions still originate from the U.S., Europe, or China, there is a clear shift toward creating homegrown technologies within the region.

Industries like contact centers and BPOs are leading the way — especially in countries like Colombia — where conversational AI is already being applied to critical processes such as collections, appointment scheduling, and customer service. Fintech, retail, and public sector pilot programs are also gaining traction.

At DesarrollandoAndo, we’re excited to see local talent beginning to develop region-specific solutions. If this momentum continues, by 2026 Latin America could be seen not just as a consumer of AI, but as a creator of technology with a strong regional identity.

What are the main barriers Latin American countries face in scaling AI adoption — is it talent, infrastructure, regulation, or investment?

One of the main barriers to scaling artificial intelligence in Latin America is our structural dependence on foreign technology. Often, we arrive late to innovation because we are not part of its creation process. When we adopt these technologies, we do so under unfavorable conditions: foreign infrastructure, pricing in U.S. dollars, and tools that are not adapted to our local realities.

Although there is highly motivated and capable talent across the region, it lacks the resources and infrastructure needed to scale. This imbalance makes us less competitive compared to economies with greater investment capacity and clearer regulatory frameworks.

Another key issue is the disconnect between academia and the real pace of technological change. At DesarrollandoAndo, we see that many university programs are outdated, with learning cycles that are too long for a tech landscape that evolves monthly. As a result, graduates often leave school with obsolete knowledge.

Today, the most advanced AI professionals in the region are mostly self-taught. We rarely see individuals with formal degrees in applied AI working at scale in the market. Unless we align the speed of academic transformation with the speed of technology adoption, we will continue to face serious challenges in building a competitive, future-ready workforce.

How can the region strengthen AI education and workforce training to close the talent gap and compete globally?

To close the AI talent gap in Latin America and compete globally, we need a deep transformation of our education systems — starting from early schooling all the way to professional training.

At DesarrollandoAndo, we believe it's critical to invest in innovation and R&D from the school level, incorporating AI education early on and fostering hands-on learning through experimentation. We must push our youth to build, make mistakes, and learn by doing — without fear of failure or of competing with foreign markets.

In parallel, we need to modernize university curricula and promote alternative learning paths such as bootcamps, technical certifications, and strong partnerships between academia, tech companies, and government. Today, most of the top AI professionals in the region are self-taught — we must validate and support this route.

Only by building a faster, more practical, and inclusive educational model can we prepare our workforce for a global, ever-changing environment — where AI is not the future, but the present.

Are local startups and governments attracting enough venture capital or public funding to support AI innovation and research?

Aside from a few isolated success stories, investment in artificial intelligence across Latin America remains limited. At DesarrollandoAndo, we observe that most major investment funds are still focused outside the region. In terms of AI, Latin America is not yet a priority on the venture capital radar, and local funding mechanisms remain scarce and difficult to access.

Governments are often focused on addressing basic needs — such as healthcare, education, and security — leaving little room for strong investment in technological innovation. On top of that, political instability in many countries makes it difficult to design and sustain long-term public policies around innovation.

As entrepreneurs, we often feel alone and without clear pathways to funding. At the same time, both governments and many private actors are arriving late and feeling overwhelmed by the rapid pace of technological advancement.

Still, we see tremendous potential for growth. By embracing open source tools and frameworks, we can level the playing field quickly, reduce adoption costs, and begin creating local solutions with global potential. Latin America has talent, creativity, and resilience. If we focus on strengthening those assets, we can absolutely attract investment and build an innovative, sustainable AI ecosystem from within the region.

How are Latin American governments approaching AI governance, data protection, and the ethical use of AI technologies?

In Latin America, AI regulation is still at a very early stage. At DesarrollandoAndo, we believe there are major regulatory and ethical gaps, and one of the core challenges is that you can’t regulate what you don’t fully understand.

To understand AI, governments must first invest in education, infrastructure, and technical talent within the public sector. Right now, AI is advancing faster than the ability of our institutions to legislate it, and we’re operating in a trial-and-error environment that brings real risks.

Countries like Brazil and Chile have made some progress with national AI strategies and governance frameworks, but in most of the region — including Colombia — we are still arriving late to the conversation.

As we often say: “Where there's a law, there's a loophole.” Without strong ethical guidelines and transparent oversight mechanisms, we run the risk of deploying AI in ways that reinforce bias, threaten privacy, or harm citizens’ rights. Regulation needs to evolve in parallel with technology, not lag behind it.

What role do you see AI playing in driving inclusive economic growth and addressing social challenges unique to Latin America, such as inequality or public service efficiency?

At DesarrollandoAndo, we see that AI has strong potential to:

• Improve the efficiency of public services, especially in clinics, hospitals, and citizen service systems, by optimizing resources and reducing waiting times.

• Expand access to education, through personalized courses, free learning platforms, and even automated models that teach English.

• Include people with disabilities, by offering new ways to access knowledge and employment through adaptive technologies.

However, for this impact to be truly inclusive, we must close the connectivity gap, especially in rural and remote areas. Without reliable internet access and proper devices, there’s a real risk that AI will widen inequality rather than reduce it.

In summary, AI can be a powerful ally in addressing Latin America's unique challenges — such as inequality and inefficient public systems. But its true impact will depend on how it’s implemented, who has access to it, and whether it truly reaches those who need it most.

What are DesarrollandoAndo.com’s main goals in promoting AI adoption and digital transformation across Latin America?

At DesarrollandoAndo, our main goal is to democratize access to artificial intelligence and digital transformation tools across Latin America, with a strong focus on underserved communities and emerging talent ecosystems.

We work around three core pillars: educate, experiment, and empower. We promote hands-on learning, safe experimentation, and the development of locally driven solutions by entrepreneurs, agencies, and public institutions.

We are currently developing our own services using open-source technologies, for both voice and text- based channels. This approach has allowed us to deeply understand the technology and adapt it to the region’s needs.

In the coming weeks, we will be launching AI products tailored for Latin American agencies, designed to be accessible, billed in local currency, and focused on solving real-world challenges. Our mission is to enable more local actors to access AI without financial or technological barriers.

How does DesarrollandoAndo.com envision its role in shaping the region’s future AI ecosystem and fostering collaboration among innovators, educators, and policymakers?

At DesarrollandoAndo, we see our role as a bridge between innovation and inclusion. We aim to connect educators, entrepreneurs, technologists, and policymakers to build a more collaborative, people-centered AI ecosystem in Latin America.

We are actively developing our own conversational AI models trained with regional data, focused on real use cases relevant to Latin America. These models will empower local agencies to compete with global platforms — but with a key advantage: a deep understanding of local context.

We believe regional collaboration — across countries, institutions, and tech communities — is essential to building an ethical, sustainable, and sovereign AI ecosystem. Our goal is for Latin America not only to adopt technology but to actively participate in its creation, governance, and innovation, from a local perspective with global impact.