Artificial Intelligence (AI), software, machines, as well as robots, could perform some routine jobs in Mexico in the future. UNAM researchers point out that Artificial Intelligence in the Mexican workforce will occur in jobs that were previously considered immune to this type of situation. AI could also lead to inequality in wages, and displace human labor in the Aztec country.
UNAM academics assure that Artificial Intelligence could automate a large number of routine jobs. In addition, it would bring about significant wage inequality.
The workforce in Mexico could be significantly affected by the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). At least that’s what different UNAM academics think. According to experts, more than 50% of work in Mexico is prone to automation. In other words, machines and robots could perform some routine jobs.
Would Artificial Intelligence Represent a Threat to the Workforce in Mexico?
According to IDC, 38% of CEOs and managers in Latin America plan to invest in generative AI in the remainder of 2023. The above occurs because with this tool they have the possibility of solving central problems of their businesses, reducing costs and even increasing productivity.
This is not the whole story. A Statista report published in July 2023 revealed that around 70% of Latinos admitted that the potential of AI is more important than “any drawback.”
According to a survey conducted by market research and consulting company Ipsos, favorable opinions towards AI vary from market to market. Among the countries analyzed in Latin America, Mexico has an approval rate 65%, while Colombia and Chile are close with 64% and 63% of respondents, respectively, showing a positive perception of AI.
These figures show that more and more companies see AI as a solution to improve their economy and performance. According to José Manuel Márquez Estrada, academic secretary of the UNAM Economic Research Institute, it is still not clear whether or not AI would replace the workforce in Mexico, so there is more waiting to do.
“We are waiting to see what is going to happen, whether this artificial intelligence will come to displace a lot of labor or not, or whether the solution is not to worry, but to think about training, the use of these technologies that make the job more efficient,” admitted Márquez Estrada.
Wage Inequality in the Mexican Workforce, Is AI a Solution?
On the other hand, UNAM researcher Delia Margarita Vergara Reyes assured that the automation of the workforce in Mexico will occur in jobs that were previously considered immune to this type of situations. In her words:
“We are talking about how it will not only replace routine tasks of an unskilled workforce, but now it will also affect other fields, which will lead to inequality in wages. Only those who use artificial intelligence will obtain better remunerations.”
Recently the Mexican Senate assured that they are working on creating a legal framework for AI cybersecurity. According to the senators, it is essential to “protect the infrastructure” and “stop the traffic of users’ personal data” on the Internet. In addition, they assure that it is important to establish legislation with the rapid growth that AI is having in the country.
For the Mexican senators, AI already impacts daily lives and it is necessary to regulate the technology and its tools. Finally, they reiterated that Mexico continues “to be a pioneer” at the local level in terms of the development of technologies. That is, AI could be adapted to the Mexican context.
By Audy Castaneda
