Latin America and the talent economy in the age of artificial intelligence

The global economy has entered a phase in which geographic proximity and cultural affinity have replaced cost as the sole decision-making factor. Nearshoring has evolved from a logistics strategy into a macroeconomic driver, as demonstrated by companies operating in the region.

It is estimated that by 2032, this market will be worth more than 300 trillion dollars, and Latin America is at the epicenter of this transformation. In this scenario, AI is not just a tool for efficiency, but the common language that allows the region to compete head-to-head with traditional powerhouses like India.

However, this massive integration poses challenges that go beyond the technical. As global companies desperately seek agility and specialized talent, a structural tension arises: How can diverse cultures be integrated under the pressure of automation?

Reality shows us that, in a world saturated with algorithms, human values—passion, spontaneous communication, and ethics—are what ultimately ensure the stability of a global operation, and Latinos are very good at this.

Today, the gap between success and obsolescence is measured not only in lines of code but also in the ability to adopt English and AI as basic survival skills. The challenge for Latin American professionals is no longer just to land a job, but to evolve alongside technology—delegating operational tasks and focusing on creating strategic value. It's not about competing against technology, but about forming a partnership to turn the region into the hemisphere's largest innovation hub.

At Contxto, we spoke with Juan Felipe Velasco Sáenz, Managing Director and co-founder of Remoti, a platform that is leading the transition toward Global Capability Centers. With a career spanning from the early days of Rappi to the cutting edge of tech staffing, Juan Felipe offers us insight into how Latin America is leveraging its cultural advantage to redefine the future of remote work in the age of artificial intelligence.

Steven: Yeah, I can imagine. Juan Felipe, how about we start by talking a little bit about what Remoti is?

Juan Felipe: Of course. Look, Remoti is a company that's celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It was founded by a London-born man named Pablo and me. We started out as a headhunting firm for tech positions; we specialized in recruiting for IT roles, primarily exporting talent focused on fintech and the entire Web3 wave (blockchain and crypto).

Five years ago—it feels like yesterday, but the pandemic was actually five years ago—one of the few positive outcomes was that organizations realized they could operate remotely. This helped us expand and break new ground. We evolved from traditional headhunting toward staffing or nearshoring, where you don't just seek out talent—you hire it locally.

Large companies have been using this model for 30 years; India is a pioneer in this area (in 2024, they earned more than 19 trillion dollars from this service). Latin America has embraced this model more fully thanks to the boom in tech talent and proficiency in a second language. This year, we're launching a new category: Global Capability Centers. Here, we don't just recruit and hire—we also operate back offices, shared services, and infrastructure (offices, networks, equipment) for large companies. This used to be the exclusive domain of consulting firms like Deloitte or PwC, but now we're entering that space with very attractive job offers.

Stiven: Excellent, Juan Felipe. To get right to the point about the current challenges posed by the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), how do you think the workforce is changing in this area?

Juan Felipe: It's crazy what's happening. The current pace is something we never imagined. Three years ago at Remoti, we showcased tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E, and people were amazed; today there are already countless competitors. We're talking about tools with deep learning layers that enable creation, not just prediction.

Today, the race to have the best AI is intense. It's April 2026, and tools like Claude are all the rage, though they're all competing fiercely. For companies today, it's essential that people understand AI, aren't afraid of it, and have the ability to use it to automate tasks and create agents. In the last three or four months, absolutely all of my clients have added "understanding and use of AI tools" to theirjob descriptions. It's an opportunity, but also a major challenge.

Stiven: That brings me to my next question: How likely is it that a person's stability is reflected in their possession of these skills?

Juan Felipe: That's a question where we need to distinguish between the emotional and the rational. Although AI is a basic necessity, the reality is that widespread adoption hasn't happened yet. For example, in the United States, only 4% of people use paid AI tools on a regular basis. In Colombia, if you look at "token" consumption on tools like Claude, we don't even rank in the top 50.

Rationally speaking: Is AI going to take your job away? If your role is 100% operational, you have a major competitor. But if you generate value, AI is your greatest ally because it frees up your time to develop strategies, design products, and understand the consumer. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, but it won't replace you if you know how to use it to your advantage. The problem is that people aren't adopting the technology as fast as it's advancing.

Stiven: I see. They say it's not that we're out of the equation—it's that we're part of it. Changing the subject, another challenge of nearshoring is culture. How can we achieve integration in such diverse teams?

Juan Felipe: The nearshoring market is worth 172 trillion dollars a year and is projected to reach 300 trillion by 2032. Latin America has a huge competitive advantage over regions like India. Although India is technically very strong, there are significant cultural clashes with the U.S. (time zones, communication styles, objectives).

We share the same time zone and have values—family, respect, and hard work—that align very well with American culture. Colombians are responsible, dedicated, and passionate. However, the challenge is to eradicate the "culture of getting by": that idea of holding three or four (freelance) jobs at the same time while working a full-time position. That closes doors.

And most importantly: English. Culture is shaped through language. If you want to connect and get your message across, English is essential. If someone is thinking about pursuing a graduate degree but doesn't speak English, my advice is: learn English first. It's the basic skill you need to connect in this world.

Stiven: What would Latin America need—from both the public and private sectors—to become a strategic global hub?

Juan Felipe: On the public side, we need legal will. Clear rules of the game. In Colombia, we're constantly changing laws and enacting reforms, which creates uncertainty for foreign investment. We need real training programs in technology and English—not necessarily following the traditional university model. The public sector must base its discussions on the reality of 2026, not as if we were still in 1990.

From the private sector's perspective, we must break down stigmas. There is still a lack of awareness worldwide about what we are capable of. But consider this: Argentina created Mercado Libre, which didn't let Amazon gain a strong foothold; Colombia created Rappi, which has kept giants like Uber Eats and Deliveroo at bay. We have Bold in fintech. We have the talent, but we need to believe in ourselves and go out and show it to the world.

Stiven: To wrap up, what advice would you give to people who want to be part of this new talent economy and don't want to just sit around waiting for the public or private sector to take action?

Juan Felipe: You have to change your mindset. It's no longer just about graduating and aspiring to work at the same five traditional companies as always. Today, opportunities are global and just a click away.

My advice is: don't waste another minute. Use AI to practice. There are affordable online learning platforms (Udemy, Platzi, Coursera) available. At Remoti, for example, we have more than 250 open positions, and for many of them, we don't require a college degree—we look for knowledge and skills instead. Be the architect of your own future: download an app, stay informed about what's happening in the world, and practice. That will open doors to high salaries and allow you to be part of this massive boom that Colombia and the region are currently experiencing.