Rafael Meira Silva, Cristina Godoy Oliveira, Luiz Costa, Joao Paulo Candia Vieira and Joao Pita Costa

ABSTRACT
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries
and economies worldwide, with Brazil and South America
emerging as significant players in this global shift. The need to
monitor the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in the verticals
for sustainable development, government engagement,
investment and society at large is fundamental. The Brazilian
Artificial Intelligence Observatory (OBIA), which is also an
integral part of the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan (PBIA),
and a former objective of the Brazilian Strategy of AI (MCTI
2021) aims to become the leading platform for monitoring the
uses of AI in the country. OBIA is part of Axis 5 of the PBIA
focused on supporting the regulatory and governance process
of AI. This research paper explores the current state,
challenges, and potential of AI development in the region,
examining how technological advancements are influencing
economic growth, societal change, and policy-making across
South America, with a particular focus on Brazil as a leading
hub of innovation. It is also investigating common aspects of
the research agendas as with IRCAI’s SDG Observatory,
particularly in what regards machine learning workflows and
approaches complementing traditional and crowdsourced
heterogeneous data collection and analysis.