Chilean fintechs increase AI talent demand

Update August 26, 2026: the note adds new context on AI adoption in Chilean companies, where usage is already widespread but sustainable scaling remains very limited. That gap helps explain why fintechs will keep seeking more hybrid profiles in AI, cybersecurity, and compliance.

Chilean fintechs expect to need more professionals specialized in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, financial regulation, and Open Banking by 2030, in a market where AI adoption is already high among companies in the country, but still lacks the maturity to scale across organizations. The push for these profiles is tied to the rollout of the Fintech Law, the Framework Cybersecurity Law, and the new data protection rules.

What changed in talent demand?

A report on the future of talent in Chile’s financial industry projects that fintechs in the country will need more professionals specialized in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, financial regulation, and Open Banking. The pressure for those profiles is linked to the implementation of the Fintech Law, the Framework Cybersecurity Law, and the new data protection framework.

The same study cited by Chócale says demand will also rise for cybersecurity specialists, fintech solutions architects, RegTech leaders, compliance experts, and professionals in AI governance. Added to that are skills tied to algorithmic risk management, Open Banking, and the expansion of digital ecosystems.

How does this intersect with AI adoption in Chile?

Artificial intelligence adoption is already widespread in Chile, but most companies still have not managed to scale it with sustainable results, according to recent studies. The contrast between broad use and low organizational maturity explains why the market is asking for more profiles that can move AI from isolated pilots into business processes and technology governance.

The SONDA Tech Trends 2026 study reported that 88% of Chilean companies already use artificial intelligence and that only 3.6% have a dedicated AI area, according to Forbes Chile coverage. In parallel, an independent MAS Analytics study says only 3.6% of organizations have managed to scale AI initiatives across the board, with measurable and sustainable returns, below the global average of about 7%.

The MAS Analytics report, "State of AI adoption in Chilean companies," breaks that maturity into four stages: 42.2% of organizations are in exploration, 25.9% in initial pilots, 28.3% in implementation, and only 3.6% in scaling with clear and sustainable returns. Another sector survey by Codelan estimates that between 70% and 80% of large companies have already tested generative AI tools, but only around 10% to 15% have AI integrated into core business processes and less than 5% have a strategy with sustained budget and impact metrics.

What do the data say about gaps and concentration?

Recent surveys show uneven adoption between large companies and SMEs, as well as a strong geographic concentration in the Metropolitan Region. That distribution confirms that AI expansion still depends on technical capacity, budgets, and management structures that are not equally present across the market.

A report from Entel Digital in collaboration with the National Center for Artificial Intelligence, CENIA, says more than 80% of large Chilean companies already use artificial intelligence, compared with about 70% of SMEs, and that 80% or more of adoption is concentrated in the Metropolitan Region, versus about 60% in the rest of the country. In the same vein, an analysis of work and AI in Chile that cites MAS Analytics data says only 3.6% of Chilean organizations have managed to scale AI across the board, even though the country leads the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index in literacy, with 84.7 points, and in generative AI adoption, with 78.7 points.

What does this mean for banks and fintechs?

The market reading in the report is that regulatory compliance will carry more weight in banks and fintechs as different rules converge. The provided material points to the Fintech Law, the Framework Cybersecurity Law, and changes in data protection as the factors reshaping those needs.

In that context, the regulatory angle is not limited to a single authority. The research material points to coordination among requirements from the CMF, the Central Bank, the UAF, and other regulators, pushing companies to strengthen profiles that can translate legal obligations into controls, processes, and technology architecture.

What will the new teams look like?

The combination of cybersecurity, RegTech, and artificial intelligence points to more hybrid teams than those that dominated traditional financial services. According to the projection cited by Chócale, by 2030 demand will grow not only for technical profiles, but also for professionals who can connect product strategy with AI model governance, risk management, and compliance.

The study cited does not provide hiring figures or salary ranges, but it does point to a clear trend in the capabilities Chilean fintechs will need to bring in over the next few years to operate under a more demanding regulatory environment and with greater dependence on digital ecosystems.

Chile also stands out as one of the most active investment markets. One market analysis says it leads AI spending in Latin America, with investment close to $1 billion in 2026, and that 74% of companies surveyed increased their AI investment over the past year, while 42% already report a positive return from those initiatives.