Mexico Leads in AI Optimism in Latin America: SAP

Seventy two percent of companies in Mexico expect AI to have a transformative impact on their respective industries, reveals SAP Mexico. This percentage positions Mexico at the forefront of Latin America in terms of perception of the disruptive potential of AI.

“The cloud is the foundational pillar for effective adoption of AI. Mexico faces a unique opportunity to democratize access to this strategic technology,” says Paola Becerra, President, SAP Mexico. “At SAP, we offer an operating system for the global economy that fosters resilience to disruption, boosts productivity, and enables companies to navigate macroeconomic changes through digital transformation, intelligent data integration, and continuous innovation.” 

The report, Motivations and Barriers to AI in Mexican Companies, based on a survey of 1,200 decision makers in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, shows that 40% of companies in Mexico already have a positive perception of AI. This group recognizes the value of AI primarily in process automation and the resulting productivity gains.

The study details the primary areas of AI application in Mexican businesses. Customer service leads in AI adoption with 64%, followed by marketing and communications with 44%, technology and operations with 37%, HR with 31%, and finance with 23%, says SAP Mexico. These figures show diversified adoption, with a clear emphasis on customer interaction and operational optimization.

The benefits identified by Mexican companies using AI solutions align with global expectations. They include higher efficiency and productivity, improved customer service, and reduced operational costs. Reflecting these perceived advantages, 55% of companies in Mexico plan to increase investment in AI. At least 50% of these organizations plan to allocate a significant portion of this increase to workforce training, highlighting the importance of human capital in transitioning to AI-driven business models.

Despite this optimistic outlook, AI adoption in Mexico faces significant challenges. The primary barrier, cited by 40% of respondents, is a lack of clarity on how to integrate AI into existing business processes. Other notable challenges include a shortage of skilled personnel (27%) and ethical concerns associated with the implementation of these technologies (24%).

Trends observed in Mexico are echoed in other Latin American countries. The SAP study shows that, on average, 63% of Latin American companies expect AI to have a significant impact on their industries. Additionally, 42% of companies in the region are already seeing tangible results from their AI strategies, while 47% expect to see measurable impact this year.

“We see that the main benefits associated with the implementation of AI in Latin American organizations are linked to improvements in productivity, data-driven decision making, and operational efficiency," says Adriana Aroulho, President, SAP Latin America. She adds that training internal talent will be key to scaling these initiatives in a sustainable way.

According to the study, Argentina and Colombia follow Mexico in AI optimism, with 66% and 65% respectively. Brazil and Chile register slightly lower levels, with 58% and 56%, respectively.

Latin American companies show a growing willingness to allocate resources to AI projects. Fifty-three percent of respondents in the region report plans to increase their AI budget over the next twelve months. Key areas of focus include process automation, advanced analytics, and customer experience.

Regional Barriers and Considerations: Strategic Opportunity for Mexico

The report also identifies shared obstacles in the region. Lack of skilled talent is cited by 31% of Latin American companies as a critical barrier. This is followed by lack of clarity on return on investment (28%) and ethical concerns (26%). The latter category includes aspects such as responsible use of data, transparency of algorithms, and potential bias in AI models.

In this context, SAP emphasizes the need to foster strong technology governance frameworks that ensure the ethical, inclusive, and sustainable use of AI. Training initiatives, both in-house and in collaboration with universities and public agencies, are key tools to bridge gaps and build confidence in the use of these emerging technologies.

With a positive perception above the regional average and a high investment intention, Mexico is positioned as one of the Latin American countries with the greatest dynamism in the business adoption of AI. However, the country also faces structural challenges that must be addressed to fully capitalize on the transformative potential of this technology. The effective integration of AI into business models requires a combined strategy that articulates digital infrastructure, specialized training, and an organizational vision aligned with ethical and sustainability principles, says SAP.