Generative AI adoption is accelerating across Mexico’s education and workforce development systems, requiring regulatory alignment, institutional reform and curriculum redesign. Rising demand for AI-related skills, expanding public-private initiatives and OECD policy guidance are reshaping higher education, corporate training, healthcare education and digital infrastructure investment. The transition affects universities, edtech providers, multinational technology firms, employers and policymakers as Mexico positions itself within global talent, trade and innovation networks.
Artificial intelligence is accelerating across education systems in Mexico and globally, prompting educators, companies and governments to reconsider how learning is delivered, assessed and connected to labor markets. Speakers at a recent book presentation in Mexico City said the technology could help reduce structural inequality and address widening skills gaps if embedded in policy and institutional reform rather than introduced as standalone tools.
During the presentation of Artificial Intelligence and Education in the Global South, Erick Ramírez, Specialist in Education Technology, said Mexico has an opportunity to avoid repeating past mistakes in classroom technology adoption. “About 16 years ago, what we did was put one computer per child in classrooms. We made very serious mistakes and spent a lot of money on things that were not effective,” said Ramírez, as cited by Reforma. “We now have the opportunity to design policies and interventions that truly transform the system.”
The book, written by Harvard Graduate School of Education alumni Fernando Reimers, María-Reneé Palomo, Zainab Azim and Callysta Thony, analyzes how artificial intelligence can be integrated into teacher professional development and school leadership systems, particularly in countries across the Global South. According to Reimers, 90% of the world’s population under 18 lives in these regions, where learning crises and resource constraints persist. Mara Robles, Former Minister of Education for Mexico City, said the publication is not focused on tools but on how education systems function and what occurs when a powerful technology is inserted into unequal institutional structures.
The discussion takes place as AI adoption rises sharply in Mexico. Google and Ipsos report that 66% of the Mexican population uses AI, above the global average. LinkedIn data indicates that demand for AI-related skills in Mexico grew 148% between 2023 and 2025. OECD surveys place Mexico among the countries with the highest use of generative AI tools, particularly among younger adults. These trends suggest strong demand for digital competencies while exposing gaps in how those skills are formally developed and certified.
Researchers and education leaders increasingly describe this transition as “Work 5.0,” a phase characterized by human-AI collaboration and continuous shifts in required competencies. José Escamilla, Associate Director, Tec de Monterrey’s Institute for the Future of Education, said universities should focus less on predicting future job titles and more on identifying durable skills such as analytical thinking, adaptability and lifelong learning. However, an analysis published by Animal Político argues that identifying skills is only the first step and that aligning education systems, employers and public policy around scalable solutions remains the central challenge.
The OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026 states that generative AI can personalize learning, improve feedback and automate administrative tasks when integrated into structured pedagogical models. The report warns that excessive reliance on AI-generated answers may weaken metacognitive engagement and reduce the link between performance and learning. It cites a pilot in rural Brazil in which small language models operating offline on mobile devices provided tutoring and feedback despite intermittent connectivity, demonstrating that AI deployment does not depend solely on continuous internet access.
In Mexico, classroom adoption continues to expand. A global study by Turnitin found that 85% of Mexican respondents feel optimistic about AI’s impact on education. At the same time, 64% of students expressed concern about overreliance, and half reported uncertainty about how to use AI effectively. Belén Correa, Latin American director, Turnitin, said teachers are shifting from basic use of AI tools to balancing integration with reinforcement of critical thinking and creativity.
Global initiatives are emerging to address the gap between AI capability and institutional readiness. OpenAI launched “Education for Countries,” a program that partners with ministries of education and universities to deploy AI tools such as ChatGPT Edu and Study Mode at scale. The company reports that national rollouts, including a nationwide deployment in Estonia, are being evaluated through longitudinal studies to measure learning outcomes. IBM has also opened proposals through its Impact Accelerator to support AI projects in education and workforce development, citing internal research indicating that 57% of employee skills could be obsolete by 2030.
Fernando Valenzuela Migoya, President, Global EdTech Impact Alliance, said AI should function as a learning partner rather than a substitute for human judgment. He noted that adoption is accelerating faster than public trust and that concerns about bias, misinformation and transparency shape how the technology is regulated and accepted. He added that education systems must cultivate reflection and adaptability, warning that poorly designed AI systems risk encouraging dependency instead of strengthening critical thinking.
In healthcare education, similar dynamics are emerging. Medu, a Latin American medical education platform, expected to reach 200,000 registered healthcare professionals in 2025, with Mexico accounting for 28% of its users. Company executives said Medu AI has been trained exclusively on peer-reviewed medical literature and is designed to provide referenced responses rather than generate unsupported information. The tool is undergoing weekly evaluations based on user feedback. Medu executives said the long-term goal is to develop AI-powered virtual patients to allow medical students to simulate consultations and diagnostic processes.
Medu representatives also acknowledged institutional resistance in some Mexican universities and concerns among healthcare professionals about AI’s role. They said future doctors must understand AI systems in order to guide patients who increasingly use digital tools for self-diagnosis.
Across sectors, the common theme is that AI’s impact will depend on governance and system design. Vanita Sharma, adviser for strategic initiatives, Reliance Foundation, said building AI for impact requires understanding how it operates in classrooms, homes and communities, not just deploying technology.