Colombia is at the forefront not only in discussing the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) but also in implementing solutions based on this technology.

This was the opinion of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who visited the country this week to learn about AI projects currently being developed in the South American country.

The executive had a good impression of the different projects he observed and emphasized that AI is having a profound and positive impact on companies that implement this technology.

“This next generation of AI is changing how organizations operate and innovate everywhere, including in Colombia,” said Satya Nadella and added “It’s fantastic to see firsthand how local companies and developers are applying our AI platforms and tools to build the future for Colombia and the world.”

In Colombia, AI is being used both to improve industrial processes and to support environmental protection processes. This shows that data collection to feed language models is not only about efficiency within organizations.

For example, Nadella observed the progress of the Guacamaya Project, which is an initiative to monitor and conserve the Amazon, using satellite images, camera traps and bioacoustics to observe forest cover and biodiversity. The project involves the participation of private and public entities such as the Universidad de Los Andes, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute, the Sinchi Institute, Ideam and Microsoft AI for Good Lab.

In all the projects observed, Microsoft AI has played a key role as a technological companion.

The other cases observed were that of Bancolombia, the largest single financial institution in the country. There, a technical team of 4,000 people, including more than 3,400 software and infrastructure engineers, managed to increase by a third the development of digital codes, which allowed higher levels of process automation with a total of 18,000 per year, which means a rate of 42 per productive day.

Another important Colombian institution is Seguros SURA, which launched the Omics Science Center in 2023 to promote solutions to genetically based diseases. According to Microsoft's press release, "SURA employs Microsoft’s AI technologies for efficient genomic sequencing processing and the analysis of clinical and genetic data. To date, the platform has generated more than 11,500 reports related to Hereditary Cancer Panels and exomes, significantly contributing to improved diagnostics, personalized treatments, and progress in scientific research.”

Other cases of interest were Haceb, home appliance industry, which implemented a co-pilot to improve the productivity of technicians in the after-sales and maintenance processes. The case of the magistrate of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, María Victoria Quiñones, was also analyzed. She has been a pioneer in the integration of technology and AI in Colombia's judicial system, focusing on improving court efficiency and access to justice.

Artificial Intelligence is the great disruptor of today's times. Nadela's visit to Colombia and his conclusions show that the country is taking up the challenge and is not lagging in the implementation of this new technology.