Mexico is at a critical juncture when it comes to managing its digital infrastructure and corporate information. To address this issue, the British Embassy hosted a strategic roundtable to establish a cooperation framework for AI development between British technology companies and the Mexican business ecosystem under the framework of the Mexico City AI Mission. The initiative focuses on the adoption of international standards, technical education, and strengthening data sovereignty in the private sector.
“There is a clear lack of maturity in the Mexican market, with large companies advancing through operational efficiencies while smaller companies are holding back due to a lack of technical knowledge,” said Verónica Viniegra, CEO of MAYia Edgenet. “Without integrating privacy, high-quality data, and cybersecurity within an international framework, we will not be able to deliver technical training for desired economic goals.”
Mexico manages most of its corporate and government data through external infrastructure. Roundtable participants, including representatives from various industry chambers, including the National Chamber of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology Industries (CANIETI), the Mexican Information Technology Industry Association (AMITI), and the Open Data Institute (ODI), pointed out that 90% of data from Mexican companies is stored abroad. This poses challenges to digital sovereignty, national security, and geo-strategic location. The UK, which has maintained a leading position in AI strategy since 2017, could be a key point of reference for Mexico in implementing best practices in data ethics and algorithmic transparency.
The relevance of this mission lies in the regional regulatory gap between the United States and Mexico. While the European Union is moving towards risk-based AI legislation, Mexico is still in the process of implementing personal data protection laws. “The lack of a clear regulatory roadmap has resulted in a fragmented ecosystem where sector leaders in banking and fintech have adopted international standards such as ISO/IEC 42001, while the rest of the industry remains underserved,” said Chanel Medellin, Senior Specialist Instructor MX and NoLA at BSI.
Analysis of international standards and normalization
A key objective of the British Embassy’s mission is the harmonization of technical standards to facilitate cross-border cooperation. The roundtable discussed the need to translate international standards, in particular ISO/IEC 42001 and ISO/IEC 42005, into Mexican National Standards (NMX). These standards provide a management system for AI that addresses safety, transparency, and accountability.
Moving to NMX is not just a bureaucratic step, but a strategic incentive for local supply chains. Eneas Castellanos, president and advisor of CANACINTRA, says many local providers do not have these certifications and therefore struggle to integrate into global value chains. By establishing local versions of these standards, the industry can create a “sandbox” environment. This allows small businesses to test their AI implementations under controlled risk before attempting full-scale international certification.
Additionally, implementation of these standards addresses the “hidden factory” within the manufacturing industry. “Defensive AI applications can eliminate waste and improve productivity metrics without requiring ‘rocket science’ level investments,” says Enven Wong.
Director of Corporate and Government Solutions, Pearson Corporate. “Companies need to master statistical fundamentals and probability before moving forward with complex algorithmic innovations.”
The four pillars of AI competency
The Open Data Institute, headed by Principal Technical Consultant Dave Tarrant, has presented a professional framework to address the gap between technical teams and decision makers. Research conducted by the institute suggests that the success of AI in the workplace depends on four different competency levels.
AI literacy: This includes a critical understanding of how AI works, including the ability to recognize bias and question automated decisions.
AI skills: Represents the technical ability to build, train, and deploy mathematical models and data science systems.
AI Fluency: The ability to think in terms of AI and data and effectively communicate model limitations and assumptions to other members of the organization.
AI insights: This focuses on strategic responsibilities such as risk analysis, ethical requirements, and compliance at the executive level.
“Education shouldn’t just focus on producing more data scientists. Instead, organizations need ‘data translators’ who stand between technical experts and business leaders,” says Tarrant. “The more accessible data is, the more valuable it is.” He also encourages Mexican companies to adopt global open standards to ensure data reusability and reliability.
Digital sovereignty and the role of infrastructure
The roundtable emphasized that digital sovereignty is an issue of economic security. Representatives of Mexican data centers emphasized that capital and human resources are already available in the country to support the decentralization of information. By moving data processing closer to sources such as Jalisco, Nuevo León, and Mexico City, companies can reduce latency and gain greater control over sensitive information.
However, if AI is not used transparently, several issues can arise. “In Mexico, government agencies are increasingly using metadata and algorithms to monitor fiscal discrepancies,” said Jocelyn Garcia, country leader for strategic alliances at T-Systems Mexico. “However, these algorithms are rarely transparent, putting average citizens and small business owners at a disadvantage.”
Garcia points out that the lack of an ethical framework for government use of AI could create an environment where data is used for surveillance rather than administrative efficiency.
The gap between academic output and industrial needs remains a major barrier to technological development in Mexico. Efforts are being made to fill this gap. For example, the National Association of Information Technology Educational Institutions (ANIEI), headed by President Lourdes Sanchez, reports that it aligns university curricula with the real-world demands of 53 major technology companies.
Antonio Velasco, president of Monterrey IT Cluster, says his organization has spent seven years educating clients about the value of AI in precision manufacturing. Velasco points out that while “micro-certifications” and short courses are popular, they often fail to provide the deep mathematical foundation needed for sustainable innovation.
The consensus among participants is that 2026 will be a turning point for AI implementation at the enterprise level, and it is imperative to accelerate talent development programs starting today.
Strategic initiatives and next steps
During the event, the British Embassy pledged to facilitate access to research and maturity assessment tools developed by UK institutions. This will allow Mexican companies to self-assess their data readiness and ethical framework.
The British Embassy and Chamber of Commerce will also establish a repository of “lessons learned” to help businesses avoid repeating common mistakes when implementing AI. This includes strategies to reduce “hallucinations” in generative models through the search augmentation generation (RAG) framework. By sharing these technical insights, the collaborative network aims to lower barriers to entry for the 4.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises that form the backbone of Mexico’s economy.
As the UK AI Mission continues to operate in Mexico City, its focus remains on building bilateral trust. Combining UK expertise in data ethics with Mexico’s industrial capabilities provides a roadmap to a more resilient and sovereign digital future.
