Chile Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in chile, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Information Technologies
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Overview

The Information Technology (IT) sector is one of Chile’s most promising sectors with the highest growth potential in the region. According to Technavio, the IT market is expected to grow by $4.76 billion from 2024-2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 10 percent. This growth is driven by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) by Chilean companies, the rise of digital information, and the increasing necessity of IT services, including education and training, consulting, development and integration, and hardware and software support. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), IT spending in Chile was $9.89 billion in 2024, and it is expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of about 8.6 percent.

Chile has one of the highest percentages of active cellular mobile connections in South America, totaling 155 percent, or 30.7 million connections, according to DataReportal. While some of these connections may not include access to the internet, this percentage signifies that, on average, Chilean people have more than one mobile connection. The country continues to transition to 5G, expanding to new networks and increasing the demand for high-speed connectivity services. According to DataReportal, internet penetration in Chile, as a percentage of the total population, is one of the highest in Latin America at approximately 94 percent and 18.6 million users.

A substantial challenge to the IT sector continues to be a lack of specialized professionals. According to the Computer Security Incident Response Team, CSIRT, in 2024, it was estimated that Chile lacked around 28,000 cybersecurity and IT professionals needed to advance its public and private initiatives. However, the Chilean government has taken measures to address this scarcity and grow its IT workforce. In May 2022, the government presented Chile Digital 2035, a new strategy focused on reducing digital inequality and guiding the electronic transformation of the country by promoting internet rights, infrastructure development, cybersecurity, and digitalization of the public sector. One of the principal goals of Chile Digital 2035 is to reach 100 percent digitalization of public services by 2035. Furthermore, initiatives like the public-private collaboration Digital Talent for Chile have awarded over 14,000 scholarships for education in digital education.

However, this personnel discrepancy has created a strong opportunity for U.S. firms, which can provide cybersecurity services to Chilean companies and fulfill a void created by a lack of skilled local workers. U.S. firms could also fill a critical need in providing IT-related education and training to Chilean company personnel.

On March 26, 2024, President Gabriel Boric signed the “Framework Law on Cybersecurity and Critical Information Infrastructure,” which officially came into effect on January 1, 2025. Designed to strengthen the cybersecurity of public and private institutions to protect against online attacks, the law notably established the first government cybersecurity agency and regulatory framework in Latin America. The newly formed National Cybersecurity Agency (ANCI) writes and enforces cybersecurity regulations in the private and public sectors and advises the president on related issues. The law also created the National Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), which monitors cyberthreats, respond to attacks, and report incidents to the ANCI.

Leading Sub-sectors

  • Cloud Computing and Internet of Things (IoT): The increased use of cloud services has facilitated and accelerated the digital transformation in Chile. Companies enjoy the advantage of having continuous mobility in their data flow and the benefit of increased productivity. According to Horizon Grand View Research, the cloud migration services market in Chile had a value of $313 million in 2024 and is expected to reach a value of $1.4 billion by 2030, representing a CAGR of nearly 30 percent from 2025-2030. In May of 2025, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced its intention to launch a new AWS region in Chile by the end of 2026, a cloud region project that will total a $4 billion investment.
  • Software and software services: According to IDC the packaged software market grew by 13 percent in the first half of 2024. Despite challenges from the evolution of digital services and e-commerce and upcoming presidential elections, IDC expects the total software market in Chile to grow by roughly 13 percent in 2025, reaching a total value of $2.49 billion.
  • Cybersecurity: Demand for cybersecurity services is driven by a need for protection from malicious actors. According to a FortiGuard Labs Report, Chile experienced 27.6 billion cyberattack attempts in 2024, a 360 percent increase from 2023.
  • Artificial Intelligence: The Chilean Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation released a National Artificial Intelligence Policy in 2021, which outlined the strategic goals for the next ten years. The policy has three pillars: fostering necessary elements for the development of AI, promoting the adoption of AI, and ethics and security. In May of 2024, Chile updated this National AI Policy, increasing its focus on governance and ethical considerations and becoming the first country in the world to incorporate the results of UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology to identify gaps in governance. In the same month, the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation introduced an AI bill, which aims to develop human-centered AI systems while maintaining consumers’ safety and fundamental rights. As of this writing, the bill is under review in the Chilean congress and proposes a regulatory framework based on self-regulation and designated risk levels.

Opportunities

  • Digital Transformation: The digital transformation of the Chilean economy continues to accelerate, as nearly all sectors of the economy are converting their operations to meet increasing demands for digital components and services. In 2025, the top five industries in terms of investment spending in IT are financial services ($1.2 billion), energy ($563 million), transportation and leisure ($531 million), government ($517 million), and retail ($415 million). Full digital transformation of the Chilean economy continues to be the ultimate goal, as Chile Digital 2035 strives to reach 100 percent digitalization of public services by 2035.
  • Big Data/Analytics: Chilean companies seek to increasingly implement big data and analytics into their operations. With recent technological innovations in other IT subsectors, both private and public companies are working to achieve high levels of data analysis and improve decision making.
  • 5G Deployment: As 5G adoption grows, demand for new IoT solutions is expected to increase and require the construction and implementation of new networks and systems. According to CMS Law, Chile had 5.2 million 5G mobile connections recorded by October of 2024, still below the Undersecretary of Telecommunications’ goal of reaching 90 percent of the population having 5G coverage by mid-2025.
  • Cybersecurity: Chile boasts one of the most advanced cybersecurity industries in the region. According to Statista, the cybersecurity market in Chile is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 10 percent between 2024-2029. As 5G is more widely deployed and internet penetration surpasses 94 percent, companies are recognizing the relevance of cybersecurity to protect these new technologies, investing more in the sector and increasing demand for its services.
  • Artificial Intelligence: According to Chile’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence, Chile is the leader of AI development in South America. According to IDC, 78 percent of Chilean companies have either already integrated AI into their organization or are currently exploring options for implementation.
  • Data Centers: The rise of digitalization and online commerce have positioned Chile as a main hub of data centers in Latin America. According to InvestChile, the land occupied by data centers in the Santiago Metropolitan Region is expected to double by 2030, increasing over 100 percent to an area of 5.26 million square feet. Government initiatives such as the Chile National Data Centers Plan have driven a strong increase in the development of data centers, including Microsoft’s Cloud Region inaugurated in June of 2025.

Trade Shows

  • Summit País Digital, September 30 – October 2, 2025, Santiago, Chile

  • 11th Congreso Latinoamericano IA, Tecnología y Negocios America Digital 2026, April 8-9, 2026, Santiago, Chile

Resources 

  • Asociación Chileana de Empresas de Tecnología de Información (Chilean Association of Information Technology Companies, ACTI)

  • Equipo de Respuesta ante Incidentes de Seguridad Informática (Computer Security Incident Response Team, CSIRT): Under the Chilean Ministry of Interior, CSIRT protects the free and reliable use of digital systems and platforms.

  • La Comisión del Mercado Financiero (Financial Market Commission, CMF): The CMF publishes regulations for Information Security Management and Cybersecurity. This applies to banks, bank subsidiaries, bank line support companies and issuers and operators of payment cards.

  • Chilean National Data Centers Plan: announced in 2024 with the goal of converting Chile into a hub for digital infrastructure. The plan seeks to bolster industry growth by improving investment conditions, developing a sustainable data center sector, and further research and development.

  • Agencia Nacional de Ciberseguridad (National Cybersecurity Agency, ANCI)

For additional information, please contact U.S. Commercial Service Chile Commercial Specialist Macarena Marin.