AI Regulation in Latin America: Overview and Emerging Trends in Key Proposals

The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to impact societies and economies around the world. Policymakers worldwide have begun pushing for normative frameworks to regulate the design, deployment, and use of AI according to their specific ethical and legal standards. In Latin America, some countries have joined these efforts by introducing legislative proposals and establishing other AI governance frameworks, such as national strategies and regulatory guidance. 

Overall, AI bills in Latin America: 

(i) have a broad scope and application, covering AI systems introduced or producing legal effects in national territory; 

(ii) rely on an ethical and principle-based framework, with a heavy focus on the protection of fundamental rights and using AI for economic and societal progress; 

(iii) have a strong preference for ex ante, risk-based regulation; 

(iv) introduce institutional multistakeholder frameworks for AI governance, either by creating new agencies or assigning responsibility to existing ones, and 

(v) have specific provisions for responsible innovation and controlled testing of AI technologies.