The Mexican government has announced an ambitious initiative to develop a homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) language as part of a drive to position Mexico as a regional tech leader. Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, unveiled the plan on July 30, 2025, explaining that the country will create a “sovereign AI language” and invest in cutting-edge digital infrastructure to avoid falling behind in the global AI race. “To become a regional technological hub, Mexico must have its own AI ecosystem – including an AI language trained on our Spanish and indigenous linguistic data – so we’re not completely dependent on foreign platforms,” Ebrard said at the announcement in Mexico City.
The initiative will be the centerpiece of an upcoming forum called “México IA+ (Inversión Acelerada)”, scheduled for November 12–13 at Expo Santa Fe in Mexico City. The event will bring together stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and tech startups to kick off the AI strategy. According to Ebrard, Mexico’s aim is to foster an AI ecosystem that reflects Mexican Spanish and cultural context, which can improve AI applications in everything from education and healthcare to customer service. This could involve developing large language models (LLMs) that understand local vocabulary, slang, and needs. “It’s about not being left behind in the digital economy,” Ebrard noted, emphasizing that 92% of companies worldwide plan to invest in AI in the next 3 years. Mexico wants its businesses to be creators – not just consumers – of AI technology.
Public-Private Collaboration
A key feature of the plan is a collaboration with tech industry leaders like Nvidia and others. At the forum announcement, Marcio Aguiar, Nvidia’s director in Latin America, confirmed the company will support Mexico through investment in AI training and skills programs. Nvidia, a global leader in AI hardware and software, will partner with Mexican universities and tech centers to provide expertise and resources. “We are strongly committed to helping Mexico build talent for AI…this is the moment to train people so the country can be globally competitive,” Aguiar said. Additionally, Mexico’s National Council for Humanities, Science and Technology (Conahcyt) and leading universities (like UNAM and Tec de Monterrey) are expected to contribute research and development support. The plan includes setting up AI innovation labs and data centers to host Mexico’s own AI models, with one eye on data sovereignty – keeping sensitive data within Mexico’s jurisdiction.
The focus sectors for AI deployment will include agriculture (optimizing crop yields), manufacturing (smart factories), and public services (like predictive healthcare). Ebrard highlighted one early project: using AI to improve Spanish natural language processing for educational software, which could benefit students by providing more intuitive tutoring systems. By incorporating Mexican Spanish and even indigenous languages into AI systems, the technology can better serve local populations, something off-the-shelf AI often struggles with.
Strategic Goals
Mexico envisions itself as a “hub regional de innovación tecnológica” – a regional innovation hub – that can attract investment and talent in high-tech fields. Part of this strategy leverages Mexico’s growing role in advanced manufacturing (for instance, automotive and aerospace industries increasingly require AI-driven processes). If Mexico can create an environment conducive to AI startups and research, it could capture more of the value chain in tech. The Economy Ministry’s plan ties into the broader nearshoring trend: as global companies diversify supply chains, they may consider Mexico not just for manufacturing but also for tech development centers if the skilled workforce and policy support are there.
To support that, training the workforce is paramount. The initiative includes intensive AI skill-building programs. Nvidia’s involvement is one example: the company will help establish curricula and maybe even a supercomputer center for AI research in Mexico. Likewise, the Mexican private sector is on board – the Business Coordinating Council and major tech firms like Softtek and Telmex have pledged to hire and train thousands of data scientists and AI engineers in the coming years. The government is also considering incentives such as tax breaks for companies that invest in AI R&D domestically.
Global Context
Mexico’s move comes as AI development accelerates worldwide. Big tech players in the U.S., Europe, and China are pouring billions into AI languages and models. By crafting its own AI language and perhaps localized models (similar to how Europe is exploring a “EuroAI”), Mexico aims to ensure its values and needs are represented. It also hopes to mitigate risks: dependency on foreign AI can pose security issues, so a homegrown language offers more control. Of course, Mexico alone cannot match the scale of AI investment of superpowers, but by focusing on niche applications and regional leadership, it can carve out a space. Ebrard cited a McKinsey study noting that 68% of global organizations use AI in some form now, and investment in AI doubled between 2020 and 2024 to over $124 billion. “We cannot sit idle,” he said, “We have to jump on this speeding train.”
Next Steps: The November México IA+ forum will be the official launchpad. There, more details (and likely funding commitments) will be revealed. Observers expect announcements of government funding for AI research centers and perhaps a timeline for the first version of Mexico’s AI language model. The success of this initiative will depend on sustained support across administrations, given AI development is a long-term endeavor. For now, the plan has generated optimism in Mexico’s tech community. As one AI entrepreneur in Guadalajara put it, “It’s exciting that Mexico wants to speak its own AI language. That could empower a new generation of innovators here.” With the plan in motion, Mexico has signaled it is ready to join the AI revolution on its own terms – leveraging collaboration but aiming for technological sovereignty in a critical field.
