Why Do 81.4% of Mexicans Ignore the Technology That Is Transforming the World?

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While the world undergoes the most important technological revolution since the emergence of the internet, Mexico is looking the other way.

81.4% of Mexicans are unaware of artificial intelligence or do not use it, even though this technology already determines who wins and who loses in the global economy.

The statistic is alarming: while in the United States 51% of the population already integrates AI tools into their daily lives, in Mexico barely 18.6% use them. This is not a matter of access — 93 million Mexicans use social media daily — but rather a knowledge gap that is costing us billions of dollars.

AI Usage and Adoption: U.S. vs. Mexico

ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just 60 days, making it the fastest-adopted technology in history. Two and a half years later, most Mexicans do not even know it exists.

The cost of this ignorance is monumental.

McKinsey projects that accelerated AI adoption could boost our economic productivity by 3.4% annually through 2040. Statista estimates that generative AI could represent up to 6.2% of our GDP by 2030.

• McKinsey projects that accelerated AI adoption could boost our economic productivity by 3.4% annually through 2040.
• Statista estimates that generative AI could represent up to 6.2% of our GDP by 2030.

These are concrete opportunities slipping away from us every day.

The business reality is even more troubling:

Only 0.5% of economic units in Mexico use AI,

AI adoption at the corporate level is nearly nonexistent

while in Brazil — our main regional competitor — 58% of companies have already implemented it. In OECD countries such as South Korea and Denmark, more than 25% of companies have made the leap.

Mexico's early adopters are already reaping results:

CEMEX is optimizing its supply chains; Grupo Herdez achieved more than 90% sell-out and raised its service levels to 98%; Banorte transformed its customer service. Nelo (Fintech) doubled its business in 2024 through advanced AI models.

• CEMEX is optimizing its supply chains,
• Grupo Herdez achieved more than 90% sell-out and raised its service levels to 98%; Banorte transformed its customer service.
• Nelo (Fintech) doubled its business in 2024 through advanced AI models.

What is holding us back?

Answer: Fear and lack of education.

72.4% of users fear personal data theft. The generational gap is evident: while 72% of young adults are familiar with AI, only 9% of those over 50 use it. Mexico has had a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy since 2018, but its implementation has been inconsistent.

The solution

The solution is simpler than it appears:

What would happen if we devoted just 5% of our monthly budget to AI tools?

The EY AI Pulse 2024 survey shows that between 75% and 84% of companies obtain a positive return on investment. Your productivity could double, your finances could be optimized, and your learning could accelerate.

Latin America could seize an additional $100 billion opportunity over the next decade. Mexico attracted $225 million USD in venture capital toward AI startups in 2024, but this pales in comparison to the $190 billion invested in developed countries.

AI is not the future;

it is the present that is redefining global competitiveness. And Mexico is ignoring it en masse. The question is no longer whether we should adopt it, but how quickly we can do so. Mexico's economic future depends on our ability to close this gap.

What are we going to do about it?