By Jennifer Shine, Principal Solution Engineer at Imubit

At this year’s Innovarpel LATAM Conference, leaders from across industries shared practical lessons on AI adoption and digital transformation. The key takeaway? AI is not just a technology shift; it’s a culture shift.

While many organizations globally are focused on implementing AI tools, LATAM leaders are emphasizing workforce transformation over tool deployment. They’re not just automating tasks, they’re rethinking how decisions are made, how teams collaborate, and how organizations grow.

Below are my top takeaways from Innovarpel 2025:

Transformation First, Tools Second

Many companies fall into the trap of adopting AI just to accelerate existing processes. In Latin America, the focus is shifting. AI is being leveraged not just to enhance efficiency, but to fundamentally change the way work is done. This shift recognizes the operational realities, including the bureaucratic complexities that often slow organizational change. By addressing both technological innovation and the human and procedural aspects of transformation, LATAM leaders are positioning AI as a tool for meaningful, sustainable progress, not just faster execution of the status quo.

At Innovarpel, leaders asked critical questions like:

  • “How do we use AI to anticipate problems instead of reacting to them?”
  • “How do we better align commercial, operations, and technical teams using shared insights?”
  • “How do we build resilience, not just efficiency?”

This approach positions LATAM companies to unlock AI’s full potential with smarter, more agile decision-making.

AI as a Catalyst for Collaboration

Another key theme was breaking down silos. AI is no longer the domain of data science teams alone, it’s a shared platform that connects different parts of the organization.

At Innovarpel, companies shared how:

  • Operations and commercial teams are using AI insights together to adjust plans in real time.
  • IT and business units are collaborating on AI projects to ensure adoption sticks.
  • Leadership is embedding AI into everyday decisions, not saving it for quarterly reviews.

By making AI a collaborative tool, LATAM companies are avoiding one of the most common pitfalls: isolated pilots that never scale.

Redefining Success Metrics

LATAM leaders are also rethinking how success is measured. Rather than focusing only on cost savings or task completion, they’re asking:

  • Did AI help us make a better decision, faster?
  • Did we catch a risk earlier than we would have before?
  • Did the team learn something new that improves future decisions?

By focusing on decision quality and learning, they’re turning AI into a growth driver, not just an efficiency play.

Emotional Intelligence is Key

Perhaps the most forward-thinking takeaway from Innovarpel was the role of emotional intelligence in AI leadership.

LATAM organizations are developing new leaders with strong emotional intelligence to guide teams through change. These leaders:

  • Build trust during times of uncertainty.
  • Create psychological safety, encouraging experimentation and learning.
  • Address resistance to change with empathy and clear communication.

By investing in people-first leadership, companies are increasing their teams’ willingness to adopt new technology and reducing the friction that often comes with transformation.

Culture Change is Non-Negotiable

Above all, LATAM leaders recognize that cultural transformation is essential for AI success.

This includes:

  • Embedding AI into daily workflows, not just high-level strategy.
  • Upskilling teams continuously, so they stay ahead of evolving tools.
  • Creating an environment where learning and iteration are part of the process.

LATAM is showing the world how to adopt AI in a thoughtful, sustainable way. By prioritizing collaboration, emotionally intelligent leadership, and cultural transformation, they’re achieving more than automation—they’re driving long-term resilience and growth.

For global organizations, the message is clear: Technology alone doesn’t create change people and culture do.