The Hidden Value of Culturally Rooted AI Mexican Models

As AI establishes itself as a central axis in digital transformation strategies, experts urge Mexico to stop replicating foreign models and start developing technologies aligned with its own cultural values.

"Mexico has a cultural richness that unites its people: use it. Use that in the case of AI. Find those values and define how you are going to do AI from there," says Olivia Gambelin, Founder, Ethical Intelligence, to El Financiero.

According to Microsoft's Workplace Trends Index 2025, 89% of companies in Mexico plan to incorporate AI agents by the end of 2025. This massive integration is due to the emergence of so-called "frontier companies," organizational structures that revolve around AI and prioritize scalability, automation and operational efficiency.

The Mexican AI market is expected to reach US$450 million by 2025, up from US$98 million in 2024, reports MBN. This 359% growth is driven by accelerated adoption in sectors such as finance and manufacturing, with an emphasis on regulatory compliance and risk management. About 78% of deployments in the country use hybrid schemes that combine cloud infrastructure with local data centers, prioritizing data sovereignty.

As these technologies gain prominence, critical challenges also emerge around their ethical implementation, regulation, and cultural relevance. Gambelin urges Mexican decision-makers to avoid replicating foreign schemes, arguing that the country has the necessary cultural elements to develop its own AI models.

Business Adoption in Mexico

The Mexican business context reinforces the need for a strategic and culturally adapted approach to AI. Microsoft reports that 51% of business leaders in Mexico consider the expansion of digital work a priority for the next 12 to 18 months. In addition, 41% already use digital agents to automate processes and workflows.

Up to 65% of employees see these tools as allies, thanks to their continuous availability, speed of response, and ability to generate ideas. This openness represents a window of opportunity to articulate a national strategy based on proprietary technologies.

However, there are significant training challenges. While 60% of business leaders in Mexico say they are familiar with the use of AI agents, this figure drops to 37% among employees. As a result, 57% of managers believe that building AI-trained teams will be a critical responsibility in the immediate future.

Authorities are also working to foster national AI efforts. In April 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the creation of the National AI Lab, which will operate under the coordination of the Digital Transformation Agency and the Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation.

This lab seeks to integrate disciplines such as health, agriculture, and science, promoting a collaborative vision of AI development in the country. In the health sector, for example, AI algorithms are already being used to interpret X-rays and biopsies. In the agricultural sector, the technology can be used to monitor pests and protect crops, according to reports from the Ministry of Agriculture.

In addition, the Mexican Senate has formed a commission specialized in AI with the aim of establishing a regulatory framework to guarantee transparency, auditability of algorithms, and protection against technological monopolies.