Artificial Intelligence and Desirable Futures: Visions of Scientific Researchers in Mexico

Abstract

In Mexico, the lack of public policies, regulations, and a national strategy has left Artificial Intelligence (ai) in a phase of interpretative flexibility, where collectively shaped visions of its future play a key role in its stabilization. Against this backdrop, this study examines the future visions of ai held by researchers affiliated with two major Mexican research centers. To do so, a qualitative approach was employed, drawing on 25 semi-structured interviews and grounded in the discursive nature of the motivations guiding scientific practice. The findings reveal that these visions vary not only according to whether research is oriented toward basic or applied knowledge, but also depending on the institutional setting in which it takes place. Moreover, the study demonstrates that, in Mexico, future visions of ai are configured as niche strategies aimed at social utility, in contrast to global corporate imaginaries focused on disruption and productivity. It also shows that the vision of ai as a tool for technoscientific development is limited by the absence of a coordinated strategy and public policies. In conclusion, the paper outlines science policy actions that could strengthen collaboration among actors and support the development of low-cost computational solutions.