UNESCO IESALC and UNU-IAS Publish Study on AI Implementation in Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

UNESCO IESALC and UNU-IAS released the study AI Implementation in Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean on 8 September 2026. Drawing on 200 higher education institutions across 19 countries, it finds that 87% of institutions use AI in at least one area of activity, while only 26% have a formal AI strategy. The report will be launched during Digital Learning Week 2026 and calls for stronger governance, digital literacy investment and coordinated action.

This is a regional higher education AI implementation survey released by UNESCO system bodies, covering 200 institutions in 19 countries, offering verifiable baseline data for governments, universities and international organizations assessing AI governance gaps. For education product practitioners, the gap between 87% adoption and 26% formal strategy indicates that AI tool procurement and use in universities is largely driven by faculty and students, while institutional procurement standards and governance rules remain unformed. The report is advisory and contains no independent learning outcome evaluation; its findings are limited by self-reported survey data. The AI governance gap in Latin American and Caribbean universities has been quantified, potentially pushing governments and institutions to accelerate formal AI strategies and procurement rules. Education products entering this regional higher education market will face faculty- and student-driven adoption with limited institutional policy, making sales and compliance paths more dependent on departmental-level engagement.