Central America Enters Its AI-Driven Business Transformation

AI in Central America is moving into a transformative era, where artificial intelligence evolves from simple automation to intelligent agents capable of predicting, analyzing, and executing tasks with unprecedented precision.

In this context, industry leaders, regional experts and global reports converge on one message: AI is no longer optional, it is the foundation of the next wave of competitiveness.

A New Phase: Intelligent Agents and a Shift in the Internet Model

Artificial Intelligence has advanced rapidly. In 2010, AI began “thinking.” Later, it learned to “speak.” By 2024, it could understand context. Today, intelligent agents can automate workflows, predict sales, and anticipate machine maintenance based on real-time data.

“This is an important inflection point for business because AI will create an entirely new economy,” said Driss Temsamani, Head of Digital at Citi. “It’s not about replacing people, but augmenting each of us to work more intelligently.”

Temsamani emphasizes that unlocking the full value of AI requires “building an Internet that strengthens digital identity and connects AI agents to share information.”

This vision implies moving from a search-based Internet to an interoperable Internet, a shift crucial for the financial industry, which relies on real-time data verification between banks, customers, and regulators.

The Internet for the Digital Economy

According to Temsamani, the next stage is an Internet where “AI agents communicate with each other and connect every participant—humans and robots.”

He describes a future shaped by AI + tokenization, capable of generating “trillions of dollars in new economic value.” Practical applications already exist:

• A banking executive could rely on:
  • One AI agent to analyze contracts
  • Another agent to search for optimal portfolio returns
  • And another to execute electronic banking operations in under two minutes, tasks that traditionally require hours of manual work.

He adds that blockchain “changes the concept of the Internet” by connecting all participants in a shared cloud with digital identity and digital money. The impact includes:

• Over 50% reductions in fraud detection costs
• Significant savings in compliance processes
• Up to 200 hours less work per quarter on repetitive regulatory tasks

Temsamani predicts that “the next five years will define many winners,” as companies across industries accelerate their AI transformation.

Latin America’s Readiness and the Push for AI Investment

The Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA) recognizes progress in regional AI policies but warns that concrete actions are still insufficient to boost productivity, employment, quality of life and innovation. According to the study, no country surpasses the global average of AI investment relative to GDP.

Central America shows uneven but promising progress:

• Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala: accelerated improvements in connectivity, talent, and AI strategies.
• Honduras and El Salvador: growth in open-source production, a key input for developing local solutions.

The 2025 Global CEO Outlook from KPMG reinforces the urgency. More than 71% of CEOs now consider AI a top investment priority, a notable increase from 64% the year before.

How AI Agents Are Transforming Business Operations

For Giovanni Stella, Partner at Glaix.ai and former Google executive, AI agents streamline key processes directly under CEO oversight.

“Everything related to customer support, sales, client relationship maintenance, upselling and cross-selling can be automated today,” Stella explains.

This automation frees teams from repetitive tasks and redirects effort toward higher-value activities.

Tech Inclusion: Bringing Non-Technical Teams Into the AI Era

A major challenge for companies is including non-technical collaborators in this transformation. At n1co in El Salvador, CTO Juan Maceda helped bridge communication gaps across departments.

The process included:

• Joint role-mapping sessions with HR
• Clear AI communication guidelines
• Practical guidance on using AI tools for everyday tasks

This sparked genuine interest. Employees began identifying where AI could help them and gradually delegated repetitive tasks.

“When we reached that point, many started saying: Wow, I can do this. I want more tools,” Maceda noted.

A critical milestone was implementing a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system, allowing teams to map, connect, contextualize, and translate information between departments.

For example, leaders can ask: Are we ready for next week’s demo? The system analyzes developer processes and may respond: Delay it three days; it’s not ready yet. n1co aims to scale this capability to help other companies, moving toward an AI-First operating model—leaner, more automated, and more agile.

Regional Adoption: Data, Automation and Strategic Planning

In Central America, more companies are investing in AI-driven efficiency.
Rafael Palma, Business Manager at Datec Corp, highlights strong interest in:

• Data management
• Continuous improvement
• Predictive decision-making to stay ahead of competitors

His recommendation is clear:

1. Build strong data governance first
2. Automate processes in a second phase

“The biggest challenge is taking control of the data,” Palma emphasized.“From there, AI agents can automate and optimize processes. The best approach is short, high-impact steps—and constant measurement.”