Paula Bogantes Zamora
A technology without governance multiplies disorder. Paula Bogantes Zamora, Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Telecommunications (MICITT), led the Costa Rican state’s effort to put artificial intelligence in order before the disorder became urgent.
Key facts
- Role: Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Telecommunications (MICITT).
- Milestone: Presented the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA) 2024-2027.
- Date: October 24, 2024.
- Significance: Costa Rica became the first country in Central America with an AI public policy.
Why she is a leader
On October 24, 2024, the MICITT presented the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2024-2027. With that step, Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to have a public policy guiding the use, adoption, and development of artificial intelligence. As head of the ministry, Bogantes was the figure who led and presented that strategy.
The ENIA is not a decorative document. It is built in alignment with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and with the OECD principles, and it includes lines of work on infrastructure, talent, and governance. Its symbolic value also counts: a small country setting the regional pace on an issue where most are still improvising.
Her contribution to the ecosystem
Bogantes’s role illustrates a central idea: artificial intelligence is not only the business of engineers and companies, it is also the business of the state. Defining rules, priorities, and ethical principles from government is what allows innovation to grow on a stable foundation. That is the contribution of a well-designed public policy.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Paula Bogantes Zamora?
- She is Costa Rica's Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Telecommunications (MICITT). Under her leadership, the country presented the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2024-2027.
- What is the ENIA?
- The National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA) 2024-2027 is the public policy with which Costa Rica guides the use, adoption, and development of AI. It was presented on October 24, 2024, making the country the first in Central America with a policy of this kind.