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Top Careers in South America, and How AI Affects Them
This guide focuses on South America, but some research below covers the wider Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. The ILO/World Bank study estimates 26%–38% of LAC jobs have some generative-AI exposure, with 2%–5% in its full-automation-risk category. Those figures are not estimates for every South American country, nor probabilities that individual workers will lose their jobs. Local demand and digital access vary.
For the worldwide picture, see Top Careers and the Impact of AI.
How work differs across South America
| Country | Work in farming | Work in services | Youth unemployment | Own-account or family work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 7.6% | 72.2% | 14.0% | 26.1% |
| Argentina | 7.0% | 71.8% | 19.2% | 22.3% |
| Colombia | 14.2% | 65.8% | 17.7% | 43.0% |
| Chile | 6.1% | 72.4% | 21.6% | 20.9% |
| Peru | 23.1% | 60.1% | 9.5% | 47.5% |
| Ecuador | 32.5% | 50.9% | 8.2% | 50.1% |
| Uruguay | 8.1% | 73.2% | 25.1% | 24.4% |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 12.7% | 66.8% | 12.2% | 31.5% |
The Southern Cone (Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) has economies dominated by services and formal jobs, with high youth unemployment. In the Andean countries, Peru and Ecuador, farming and self-employment are far more common, which lowers exposure to AI but also limits access to it.
What the research says about AI in the region
- Exposure. The ILO and World Bank’s Buffer or Bottleneck? study (2024) finds that 26% to 38% of jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean could be affected by generative AI. Between 8% and 14% could see productivity gains, while only 2% to 5% are at risk of full automation.
- Who is exposed. Urban jobs that need higher education, are in the formal sector and pay more are the most exposed. Younger workers are more exposed than older ones, and the risk of automation is concentrated in finance, insurance and public administration.
- The digital divide. Up to half of the jobs that could gain from AI, about 17 million, are held back because workers lack the digital tools or connection to use it, and the gap is larger in poorer countries.
- What employers want. In the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, big data and AI and machine learning specialists are among the fastest-growing roles in the region, and 84% of employers in Latin America and the Caribbean plan to upskill their own staff to meet demand for digital talent. Employers in Argentina, Brazil and Colombia rate broader digital access as the most transformative trend.
Top careers in South America, and their AI exposure
The AI exposure column borrows the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ August 2026 categories for 831 U.S. occupations. BLS combines theoretical exposure with observed AI interactions mapped to tasks; those interactions do not directly establish on-the-job use by each occupation. The regional labels below are the author’s approximate mappings to U.S. jobs, sometimes grouping several occupations, not locally measured ratings. Tasks, licensing, language, technology and adoption differ across countries. Consult the linked BLS table for the exact U.S. occupation; a grouped regional label is not an official BLS category. Exposure does not predict replacement, productivity, wages or adoption.
| Career | Where demand is strongest | AI exposure | What AI is likely to change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data scientists and AI specialists | Among the fastest-growing roles in the region | Very high | They build the tools, while routine analysis is automated |
| Software developers | São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Medellín, Santiago, Montevideo | Very high | Code is written faster; nearshore work for US clients shifts to design and integration |
| Cybersecurity specialists | Banks and governments across the region | Very high | AI helps defenders and attackers alike |
| Nurses | Aging populations in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay | High | Records and triage notes; hands-on care stays human |
| Care workers | Aging populations | Moderate | Scheduling and records; the care itself is hard to automate |
| Mining and metallurgical engineers | Copper in Chile and Peru, lithium in Argentina and Chile | High | Planning and modelling are faster; site work stays human |
| Electricians and renewable energy technicians | Solar and wind in Chile, Brazil and Uruguay | Moderate | Design, quoting and fault diagnosis |
| Agricultural technicians and agronomists | Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador | High | Satellite, weather and yield data guide decisions |
| Construction trades | Growing cities and infrastructure | Low | Planning and estimating; the building work changes little |
| Teachers | Everywhere | High | Lesson planning and marking; teaching a class stays human |
| Accountants and financial analysts | Large banking sectors in Brazil, Chile and Colombia | Very high | Reporting and analysis are faster; judgment and sign-off stay human |
| Call center and customer service staff | Colombia, Peru and others serving US and Spanish clients | Very high | Chatbots handle routine contacts; people handle complex cases |
| Clerks and public administration staff | Government and offices everywhere | Very high | Routine admin can be done by AI tools; the ILO finds automation risk concentrated here |
What to do with this
- If you work in finance, insurance or government administration, learn the AI tools now. That is where the ILO finds automation risk concentrated in the region.
- Close your own digital gap. A reliable connection and basic digital skills are what separate the jobs AI helps from the ones it bypasses.
- Look at health, energy and the trades. They are tied to aging populations and the build-out of mining and renewable energy. The construction trades, electricians and care workers are among the less exposed jobs; nurses and engineers are rated High, but aging and new projects keep demand for them strong.
- Watch inflation as well as pay. Inflation has been high in parts of the region, so a raise can still be a pay cut. The Inflation by Country calculator shows how prices have changed where you live, and the Salary Comparison by Country tool compares pay across borders.
Earning power is the base of Financial wealth, one of the eight dimensions this site measures. The Financial assessment shows how your income, savings and safety net fit together.
Common questions
How many jobs in Latin America could AI affect?
An ILO and World Bank study finds that 26% to 38% of jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean could be affected by generative AI. Only 2% to 5% are at risk of full automation, while 8% to 14% could see productivity gains.
What are the most in-demand careers in South America?
Data scientists, AI and machine learning specialists and software developers are among the fastest-growing roles. Nurses and care workers are needed as populations age, and mining engineers, renewable energy technicians and skilled trades are in demand where copper, lithium and clean energy projects are growing.
Which jobs in South America are most at risk from AI?
Jobs in finance, insurance and public administration carry the most automation risk, according to the ILO and World Bank. Call center, clerical and customer service work is also highly exposed.
What is holding back the benefits of AI in Latin America?
The digital divide. About 17 million jobs that could become more productive with generative AI are held back because workers lack reliable access to digital tools, and the gap is wider in poorer countries.
Related guides
Use these dated projections and source tables as starting points, not promises about an individual job. A shortage, unmet care need or projected occupation-wide increase is not necessarily a funded local vacancy. Check current local requirements, vacancies and training costs before committing to a career move.
Sources
- Buffer or Bottleneck? Employment Exposure to Generative AI and the Digital Divide in Latin America (Working Paper 121), International Labour Organization and World Bank
- The Future of Jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean: digital skills gap must close quickly to satisfy evolving employer demands, World Economic Forum
- The Future of Jobs Report 2025, World Economic Forum
- Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (Working Paper 140), International Labour Organization
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate), World Bank, World Development Indicators
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate), World Bank, World Development Indicators
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate), World Bank, World Development Indicators
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) exposure categories, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
This guide is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial, career, legal, or tax advice. Projections and AI exposure ratings describe occupations, not individual jobs, and can change as new data is published.
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