Chile Has the Foundations to Lead the Regional Digital Economy, but Must Turn Its Infrastructure into Competitive Advantage
July 23 ,2026
July 23 ,2026
Microsoft and Equinix experts analysed at BritCham Chile the strategic role of Data Centres, Artificial Intelligence and human capital in the country’s economic development.
Santiago, 23 July 2026. Chile is particularly well positioned to consolidate its role as a regional digital hub, supported by its telecommunications infrastructure, installed Data Centre capacity, human capital and expanding technology ecosystem. However, the principal challenge will be to convert these advantages into productivity, investment, innovation and digital services capable of competing internationally.
This was one of the main conclusions of the discussion entitled “Chile’s Digital Future: Data Centres, Artificial Intelligence and International Competitiveness”, organised by the Technology, Innovation and Science Committee of the Chilean-British Chamber of Commerce, BritCham Chile.
The event brought together Yessica Cartajena, Executive Director at Microsoft, and Francisco Basoalto, Managing Director of Equinix Chile, in a conversation moderated by Joanna Pérez, Chair of BritCham Chile’s Technology, Innovation and Science Committee.
The discussion examined the role of digital infrastructure as an enabler of economic growth, Artificial Intelligence adoption, digital transformation and Chile’s international competitiveness. It also addressed the challenges associated with increasing energy demand, operational continuity, regulation and the generation of tangible returns from technology investments.
Francisco Basoalto explained that Data Centres are highly specialised facilities that house thousands of servers and require advanced cooling, energy backup and operational continuity systems.
Because of the concentration of equipment and the heat it generates, their operation requires purpose-built climate-control systems. These are complemented by batteries, generators and redundant mechanisms designed to ensure service availability even in the event of interruptions to the electricity grid.
This infrastructure enables the operation of the applications, platforms and digital processes used every day by individuals, businesses and a wide range of industries. For this reason, Data Centres are no longer regarded solely as technology facilities; they have become critical infrastructure for the functioning of the economy and society.
“Essentially, everything built in the digital world runs on this physical infrastructure,” Basoalto said, emphasising that personal communications, mobile applications and companies’ production processes depend on systems capable of operating continuously and resiliently.
He noted that Chile currently has close to 300 megawatts of installed capacity and holds a comparatively strong position within Latin America. When the size of its economy is taken into account, the country ranks above other regional markets and is approximately halfway towards the level reached by more advanced economies in this area.
This is complemented by a significant project pipeline that could multiply installed capacity over the next five years, with announced investments of approximately US$1 billion.
This growth represents a major opportunity for technological development and investment attraction. At the same time, it places considerable pressure on the electricity system and requires progress towards energy planning that is aligned with the emerging needs of the digital economy.
Yessica Cartajena highlighted that Chile has built a solid telecommunications and technology infrastructure base over several decades.
“Chile has always stood out for its telecommunications policy,” she said, adding that the investments made by companies in the sector have provided the country with a strong foundation on which to continue building digital capabilities.
This infrastructure is reinforced by human capital. According to Cartajena, Chile has professionals, technical specialists, academic capabilities and research expertise, all of which are essential for advancing the adoption and application of new technologies.
She explained that Artificial Intelligence is not a recent phenomenon, but that its current expansion has been made possible by the combined development of cloud computing, telecommunications and Data Centres. This infrastructure has enabled the processing of large volumes of information and the deployment of solutions at an unprecedented speed.
However, she cautioned that the high public visibility of Artificial Intelligence does not necessarily mean that companies have reached a mature stage of adoption.
Although many organisations have launched pilot projects, acquired licences and tested different use cases, relatively few have succeeded in integrating these tools in a way that produces measurable results and contributes directly to financial performance.
One of the key challenges raised during the event was the need to move beyond an initial stage of technological experimentation.
Cartajena argued that investments in Artificial Intelligence must be linked to concrete indicators and strategic objectives. Projects must demonstrate their impact on productivity, customer experience, operational efficiency, cost reduction, innovation or the generation of new revenue.
“We are at a stage where there is greater awareness that investment in Artificial Intelligence must have an impact on a KPI,” she said.
Levels of adoption and potential applications vary by industry. Sectors such as mining have used machine learning models and advanced data-processing systems for years. In other sectors, including retail and banking, transformation is also being driven by consumers who demand faster responses, personalised services and efficient digital experiences.
In this context, the challenge for companies is not simply to incorporate Artificial Intelligence tools, but to select use cases that respond to genuine needs, establish metrics and ensure that technology contributes to business strategy.
The panellists agreed that Chile has several of the enablers required to deepen the development of its digital economy: telecommunications infrastructure, Data Centres, specialised professionals, technology companies and experience in data-intensive industries.
Nevertheless, a number of regulatory and public policy definitions still need to be resolved in order to provide greater certainty and guide the country’s international positioning.
Cartajena argued that Chile must determine whether it will focus its efforts on consuming solutions developed in other markets, producing technology, or becoming a provider and exporter of digital services.
Although directly competing with the United States or China in the development of large Artificial Intelligence models is complex, Chile could specialise in the effective adoption of these technologies and in the creation of solutions for industries in which it has experience and comparative advantages.
“Chile has all the necessary enablers to take advantage of this. The challenge lies in determining the public policies and how both the country and its companies will position themselves,” she said.
The event highlighted the close relationship between digital infrastructure, energy, human capital, regulation, productivity and investment.
The growth of Data Centres should not be viewed solely as a technological phenomenon. Their development has a direct impact on competitiveness, the security and resilience of services, the modernisation of industries and the country’s capacity to participate in the global digital economy.
Through this event, BritCham Chile’s Technology, Innovation and Science Committee reaffirmed its commitment to creating opportunities for dialogue between companies, specialists and strategic stakeholders, helping to identify the conditions Chile needs to strengthen its critical infrastructure and transform its technological capabilities into sustainable economic growth.
The discussion was held on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, at BritCham Chile’s offices and brought together representatives from the business community and the technology ecosystem.
