Paraguay recently announced the installation of an artificial intelligence (AI) center through an agreement with Taiwan, but the project faces criticism for supposedly generating few jobs and revealing a delay in training specialized technology professionals. The warning was made by Diego Garzón, head of the Office of Cooperation and International Relations of Colombia's Ministry of Labor, during a regional meeting of labor ministries held in the country last week.
Garzón explained that the ability to absorb the demand for new jobs will directly depend on the technical training offered by the state in specific areas, such as engineering and data mining, sectors where there is currently high demand but limited supply of professionals. He acknowledged the region's delay: “We are still very behind in that, we are training electricians, training logistics technicians, but in data mining and activities that complement technological development, there are really few and we need to advance in that.”
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) warn that between 29% and 35% of jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean – nearly 22 million – are at risk from the advance of generative AI and automation. Garzón considered it debatable whether AI data centers will generate high job demand, but insisted that governments must invest in training in careers suited to technological demand.
The recommendations of the document “Artificial intelligence, digital platforms and labor rights in the Americas,” resulting from a hemispheric workshop held in September 2025 in Colombia, emphasize the need to reorient professional training, control algorithms, and protect workers. The text also proposes creating collective spaces for reflection for coordinated actions, using AI to strengthen labor ministries in tasks such as inspection and surveillance, and ensuring decent work with social security standards and occupational risk protection.
Chile, Colombia, and two other countries in the region already implement regulatory standards on AI and labor protection on platforms, serving as an example for Paraguay.