EU-LAC Digital Alliance: leading human-centric Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a powerful driver of progress as well as a challenge to our economies and societies. It all will depend on how we manage its development, deployment and use. Europe and LAC share a human-centric approach towards the use of AI, as to protect fundamental rights and manage the risks of its applications. Together they can deploy responsible and inclusive AI solutions, and steer global AI governance.
To that aim, the EU-LAC Digital Alliance has gathered again in the third session of the EU-LAC High-Level Policy Dialogue on AI and online platform governance from 1-3 July 2025, in Sao Paulo, Brazil to boost bi-regional cooperation on those topics.
The Policy Dialogue was organised by the EU and the Brazilian government, in collaboration with IRCAI (International Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO), GIZ (German Development Agency), ECLAC (UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) and Nic.br (Brazilian Network Information Center).
The Dialogue was opened by Hugo Valadares Director of Science,Technology and Digital Innovation (MCTI) of Brazil and Jean-Pierre Bou, Chargés d'affaires ad interim of the EU Delegation to Brazil. Juha Heikkilä, Adviser for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the European AI Office, delivered a keynote speech about the EU AI Act and Europe’s plan to become a global leader on AI, an AI Continent.
The meeting was also the occasion to present the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible Use of AI for the SDGs. Slovenia and Brazil endorsed the Declaration during the Dialogue and call on LAC countries to support it.
Based on the takeaways from previous Policy Dialogues, the discussions focused on advancing concrete joint initiatives in High Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructures, Large Language Models (LLMs) and data protection for AI. Part of the programme was also dedicated to exchange approaches and best practices regarding online platform governance.
EU-LAC HPC Network
The starting point for AI research and innovation is having sufficient High Performance Computing (HPC) capacity. The EU is in a strong position with a total of ten supercomputers across Europe. In LAC, Brazil holds the most with eight supercomputers in the Top500 list. Mexico also has a strong presence, and Argentina recently joined the list. Overall, the region's HPC landscape is growing, with a mix of countries contributing to the overall capacity.
The EU & LAC seek to create a bi-regional High Performance Computing Network, with an initial budget of €3 million. The meeting in Sao Paulo has served to push this initiative forward.
The ground is fertile thanks to the high-speed, transatlantic BELLA cable connecting Europe and LAC, and onward to most LAC countries through its terrestrial extensions. Managed by the EU-LAC Digital Alliance in collaboration with RedClara, this EU Global Gateway flagship has facilitated the development of a HPC testbed that provides a secure and controlled environment for LAC researchers to perform complex simulations, big data analysis and testing of advanced processing models.
LLMs for Latin America & the Caribbean
The Dialogue included in the programme a visit to the Centre of AI and Machine Learning at the University of Sao Paulo (USP) to explore more about Large Language Models (LLMs), with a particular focus on the LATAM GPT - a LLM made in LAC, for LAC - and the role LLMs can play in preserving indigenous languages.
Latam-GPT is a collaborative effort, initiated by Chile's Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation (MinCiencia) and the National Artificial Intelligence Center (CENIA), but with significant contributions from over 30 institutions and more than 60 AI experts across various LAC countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and some international partners.
The model is trained with vast amounts of regional data, including linguistic and cultural diversity, historical events, and social realities of the region. The objective is to offer more accurate and culturally relevant responses compared to existing models and reduce inherent biases and foster a more equitable and inclusive AI landscape for the region.
Latam-GPT demonstrates the firm determination of LAC countries to build technological sovereignty and to deploy tailored solutions for critical regional challenges. The EU seeks exactly the same and is willing to be the predictable and reliable partner that the LAC region needs to leverage the transformative power of responsible and inclusive AI. Together EU and LAC can lead AI global development and governance.
European Union
AI governance for competitiveness and innovation
At the regional level, Latin American and Caribbean countries emphasised the need for greater complementarity and coordination among multilateral organisations working to advance AI in the region. They called for stronger integration of regional agendas, such as the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, UNESCO-CAF's Montevideo Declaration, and ECLAC's eLAC 2026 agenda. As a concrete example of regional collaboration, Costa Rica’s Vice Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Orlando Vega presented the OECD Toolkit for AI in Emerging Economies, a regional initiative supported by the EU and other donors at the centre of GPAI aimed at guiding responsible AI development in emerging countries.
At the national level, the discussion focused on the development of AI strategies and legislative proposals in countries such as Brazil and Chile, highlighting their ongoing efforts to regulate AI as an exercise of national technological sovereignty.
Finally, with the participation of the President and Director of Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), Waldemar Gonçalves, and Uruguay’s and Spain’s data protection authorities (URCDP, AEPD), the dialogue addressed the role of data protection authorities in the oversight of AI systems that process personal data to safeguard citizens’ privacy in the age of AI.
Digital Alliance and EU International Digital Strategy
The Policy Dialogue in Sao Paulo builds on the EU-LAC Digital Alliance roadmap for bi-regional cooperation moving forward with concrete steps for a joint regional agenda ahead of the CELAC-EU Summit, taking place in Santa Marta, Colombia, on 9-10 November 2025.
The recently announced EU International Digital Strategy is based on deepening and expanding partnerships to boost economic competitiveness through technological sovereignty. The EU-LAC Digital Alliance is an action-oriented cooperation model that delivers on the objectives of this Strategy and can inspire partnerships with other regions.
As part of the Global Gateway Investment Agenda, participants of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance days in Colombia in November 2023 agreed that collaboration between both regions on digital matters can enhance their strategic autonomy and economic growth.
Participating countries issued a Joint Declaration in the context of the EU-CELAC Summit in July 2023, where they committed to regular bi-regional dialogue and cooperation on digital matters for the benefit of their citizens.
Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027 and create essential links rather than dependencies and close the global investment gap.
Background
The EU-LAC High-Level Policy Dialogue on AI and online platform governance in Sao Paulo, Brazil, gathered about 115 participants from 31 countries, including:
- 21 countries from LAC: Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay
- (One overseas territories: Sint Maarten (pending))
- 12 EU member states: Malta, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Lithuania, Spain, France and Portugal (all Embassies or Consulates, except for Spain, France and Portugal)
- Five regional organisations: Andean Community, CTU, SICA, ECLAC, OECS
- One international organisation: UN
- Academia: LNCC,CIAAM-USP, IBM Research Brazil Laboratory, Universidade do Minho, European University Institute, INESC TEC, Red Clara, SCALAC
- 4 CSOs: Abong, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Access Now, IRIS
- Private Sector: Ericsson
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