AI adoption lags in Ecuador’s SMEs amid skills and infrastructure gaps

A new peer-reviewed study has provided a comprehensive national snapshot of artificial intelligence (AI) integration among Ecuador’s micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), revealing a concerningly low and uneven level of adoption across business functions. Published in Information under the title "Artificial Intelligence in Ecuadorian SMEs: Drivers and Obstacles to Adoption", the study investigates AI utilization, infrastructure readiness, and barriers across a stratified sample of 385 companies spanning key sectors including services, commerce, IT, and industry.

Despite global advances in digital transformation, Ecuadorian SMEs remain in the early stages of AI maturity, with usage mostly concentrated in marketing functions. The study presents a critical evaluation of systemic obstacles limiting broader AI deployment, including skill shortages, insufficient data infrastructure, and limited financial capacity.

Where are Ecuador’s SMEs using AI and where are they not?

Accordidng to the study, AI deployment is largely concentrated in marketing-related functions, with tools such as ChatGPT, Copy.ai, and Hootsuite AI being used for content generation, customer engagement, and social media automation. Among the surveyed firms, applications like advertising optimization and trend analysis also showed moderate usage. However, functional areas such as finance, logistics, human resources, and internal control show virtually no AI integration.

This functional imbalance reflects a broader digital maturity issue. While marketing is often the first point of experimentation due to its low cost and visibility, the absence of AI in mission-critical functions like financial forecasting, employee performance evaluation, or supply chain optimization signals underutilization of AI’s full potential. Even in sectors like IT and industry, where advanced AI tools are globally adopted, Ecuadorian firms have yet to move beyond pilot usage.

The intensity of AI adoption, calculated as the proportion of possible AI applications utilized per firm, was recorded at a remarkably low score of 0.045, reinforcing the limited scope and depth of AI implementation nationwide.

What’s preventing AI adoption across business functions?

Five key barriers were identified: lack of qualified professionals, poor database infrastructure, limited financial capacity, low availability of computing resources, and internet connectivity gaps. Among these, the absence of skilled personnel emerged as the most critical limitation, reported by 100% of firms in the services and commerce sectors. Many firms misclassify standard software tools (e.g., spreadsheets or accounting platforms) as AI, indicating a conceptual gap that compounds the resource deficit.

Small and medium-sized enterprises were more likely to cite financial and data limitations, while the IT sector, expected to lead AI adoption, still suffers from inadequate professional training and inconsistent tool usage. Larger companies showed slightly higher AI usage rates, but these were not uniform across functions or industries. Notably, some small enterprises outperformed medium-sized ones in applying AI to content generation and social media, suggesting that organizational agility and digital culture also influence outcomes.

Statistical analysis using ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis tests confirmed significant differences in adoption patterns across sectors and company sizes. These differences were especially notable in four application areas: social media automation, content creation, inventory optimization, and design prototyping.

What policy and strategic actions are needed?

The findings underscore the urgency for multi-tiered national strategies to promote digital transformation in Ecuador’s business ecosystem. The researchers recommend targeted interventions:

• Digital skills development: Micro and small firms urgently require training programs to cultivate basic AI literacy and professional competencies.
• Infrastructure investment: Financial instruments should be developed to help firms access computing power, cloud services, and structured datasets.
• Incentive frameworks: Tax credits, innovation grants, and public–private partnerships can support firms investing in AI beyond marketing.
• Awareness campaigns: Many SMEs confuse general-purpose software with AI. Educational outreach is needed to align understanding and expectations with international standards.

The study also points to institutional support from academia and government as essential for overcoming current limitations. Longitudinal research and mixed-method studies are encouraged to track adoption progress and deepen contextual understanding, particularly in underrepresented industries like agriculture, textiles, and education.

Ecuador at a crossroads in the AI era

This research delivers a crucial diagnostic at a pivotal time. While Ecuadorian SMEs have begun exploring AI’s potential, the disconnect between technological opportunity and institutional readiness remains stark. By illuminating both the drivers and obstacles of AI adoption, the study offers an evidence-based foundation for national and sectoral action.

The study clearly warns: AI adoption in Ecuador is not just a technological challenge - it is a structural one. Overcoming it will require coordinated investment, capacity building, and visionary leadership across the public and private sectors.