Chile - National AI Policy (Decreto Supremo N°20)

Overview

The Política Nacional de Inteligencia Artificial (approved by Decreto Supremo N°20/2021 and updated by decree in 2025) is Chile's strategic 10‑year roadmap for AI (2021–2031). It aims to promote research, innovation, capacity-building and responsible adoption of AI across public and private sectors, guided by principles of human‑centered design, respect for rights, sustainability and inclusiveness. The policy sets three strategic axes — enabling factors; development and adoption; governance, ethics and socio‑economic impacts — and is accompanied by a Plan of Action listing prioritized actions and cross‑sector initiatives. The Ministry of Science coordinates implementation and public materials (policy text, Plan of Action and progress reports) are published on the Ministry's AI page. MinCiencia - AI

Definitions

The Policy provides working definitions to orient public discussion: "Artificial Intelligence" is defined broadly (drawing on Montreal and OECD formulations) as computational systems that perform tasks that ordinarily require intelligence — prediction, recommendation or decision-making — and that may operate with varying degrees of autonomy. The document distinguishes AI techniques (machine learning, deep learning, symbolic AI), datasets, models, systems, operators, developers and deployers, and clarifies the Policy's scope as covering research, development, deployment and public use, while recognizing the need for sector‑specific analyses for regulated domains (e.g., health, finance).

Governance and Institutional Framework

The Policy assigns coordination responsibility to the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation and envisages an interministerial governance model involving relevant ministries, public agencies and stakeholders. In practice, governance measures include (a) an interministerial Committee for oversight; (b) the creation/strengthening of a national AI centre (e.g., CENIA); (c) multi‑actor working groups for specific issues (ethics, data governance, skills); and (d) public consultation mechanisms. The Policy encourages institutional capacity-building in government to adopt AI responsibly and proposes integrating AI criteria into public procurement and program evaluation. For official resources and downloads, see the ministry's portal at MinCiencia AI area and the approving decree at BCN.

Key Focus Areas

The Policy’s actions concentrate on three interlocking priorities. First, enabling factors: development of talent (education, doctoral scholarships, professional retraining), data and digital infrastructure (data governance, data sharing, data centers, 5G connectivity), and R&D funding. Second, development and adoption: supporting AI deployment in public services, stimulating private sector innovation, promoting start‑ups and university‑industry collaboration, and ensuring interoperability and standards. Third, governance, ethics and socio‑economic impact: promoting human‑centered AI, rights protection, inclusion, non‑discrimination, transparency and accountability; commissioning risk mapping and guidance for sectoral high‑risk uses; fostering public participation and awareness; and coordinating international cooperation. The Plan of Action organizes concrete initiatives (education reform, algorithmic transparency pilots, funding programs) and allocates responsibilities across ministries and agencies.

Implementation Framework

Implementation relies on a mix of policy levers: public investment in infrastructure and scholarships, regulatory guidance and pilots in public services, voluntary standards and codes, public procurement conditions, and interagency coordination. The Policy endorses a risk‑based approach (identifying high‑impact/high‑risk systems for special treatment) and recommends impact assessments, documentation standards (model cards, data statements), and technical evaluation and auditing in critical uses. It also promotes partnerships (public-private-academic) and international engagement to leverage global standards and funding opportunities. Implementation tools and downloadable resources are published by the Ministry: policy downloads.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Policy establishes progress monitoring through the Plan of Action and periodic reporting. It proposes indicators across talent (trained professionals), infrastructure (data centers, connectivity), research output (publications, doctoral programs), public adoption (number of AI projects in government), and governance (number of regulatory/ethical instruments developed). The Ministry is expected to publish progress reports (for example, the 2024 Results Report) and to run participatory evaluations to update priorities — a process that culminated in the 2025 formal update.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

As a strategic policy, the document itself does not establish new criminal sanctions or specific administrative fines for AI use; rather it sets expectations and coordination mechanisms. The Policy recommends impact assessments, transparency and accountability mechanisms and signals that sectoral regulation (with enforcement and liability rules) may follow where necessary. For concrete enforcement measures and penalties, regulators will rely on existing sectoral legal frameworks (health, consumer protection, data protection) or on future specific regulation inspired by the Policy's risk‑based categorization.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The Policy is explicitly connected to Chile's broader science, technology and innovation strategy and to existing legal instruments (e.g., the law creating the Ministry of Science, Decreto Supremo N°4/2020 on national CTCI policy). It complements sectoral regulation and international obligations on data protection and human rights. The Policy also anticipates and informs future legislative proposals on AI and intersects with sectoral oversight authorities (health regulators, financial supervisors, data protection agencies).

International Alignment

The Chilean Policy aligns with international references (OECD AI Principles, UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI) and seeks active participation in global fora. It proposes cooperation in research networks, alignment with best practices for risk‑based regulation and harmonization with regional initiatives in Latin America. Updates in 2024–2025 emphasize international collaboration and adherence to emerging global governance frameworks.

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References