Agentic Systems Design·March 25, 2026
🇨🇷
AI in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the most active LATAM markets for AI nearshoring and operational automation. The talent base is bilingual, regulation is light but evolving, and most adoption happens in services exports, fintech, and tourism.
Regulation and compliance
ENIA 2024-2027 (Estrategia Nacional de Inteligencia Artificial) is the national policy framework, coordinated by MICITT (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones). There is no AI-specific binding statute yet. Data protection runs under Ley 8968 and is supervised by PRODHAB. Sector regulators (SUGEF, SUGEF, SUGESE, SUGEVAL) are issuing AI risk guidance for financial services.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-07
Recommended reading
Frequently asked questions
Does Costa Rica have an AI law?
No binding AI-specific statute. ENIA 2024-2027 sets policy direction; Ley 8968 governs data protection; MICITT coordinates with sector regulators on guidance.
Why is Costa Rica common for AI nearshoring?
Bilingual talent, US time-zone alignment, stable institutions, and a deep services-export base. Most teams use Costa Rica for support agents, finance back-office, and content operations.
How does ENIA affect private companies?
ENIA itself is non-binding. It signals where MICITT will push (data infrastructure, AI literacy, public-sector use) and shapes how sector regulators draft binding guidance later.
Operating in Costa Rica?
Let's talk about deploying AI while staying compliant with local rules and measuring ROI from quarter one.