THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF REGULATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON LATIN AMERICAN EMERGING MARKETS: INNOVATION, COMPLIANCE COSTS, AND DIGITAL COMPETITIVENESS

Abstract

The advancement of artificial intelligence in the global economy has expanded its presence in strategic sectors such as finance, health, industry, education, agribusiness, digital commerce, and public administration, increasing the need for regulatory frameworks capable of governing its uses, risks, and economic effects. In Latin American emerging markets, this debate becomes more complex due to low institutional capacity, technological dependence, productive inequality, market concentration, digital infrastructure limitations, and the shortage of specialized technical skills. This article aims to analyze the economic impacts of artificial intelligence regulation on Latin American emerging markets, considering its effects on innovation, compliance costs, digital competitiveness, investment, the labor market, and technological dependence. Methodologically, this is a bibliographic and documentary review with a qualitative approach, based on the analysis of recent scientific literature, institutional reports, legislation, regulatory proposals, and documents from international organizations. The results indicate that the main impacts of regulation are concentrated in compliance costs, investment attraction, innovation, competitiveness, productivity, the labor market, economic concentration, and technological dependence. It is concluded that AI regulation can generate relevant economic gains for Latin America, provided that it is proportional, risk-based, adapted to regional realities, and linked to public policies for digital development.