Digital transformation spend to reach $57 billion in LatAm by 2020
Spending related to digital transformation in Latin American markets should reach $57 billion within the next two years, according to research by analyst firm IDC.
This represents about 40 percent of all information technology spend, as companies in the region accelerate the delivery of projects related to digitizing products, services and back-office functionality.
Noteworthy progress will be seen in the retail, banking and insurance sectors, whereas the public sector will be lagging behind.
In terms of specific technologies that will be commonly seen in the digital transformation projects led by Latin firms, about a third of such initiatives will be using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, says IDC, with half of all apps powered by AI.
In addition, customer service bots will deal with more than half of all consumers in the region, according to the research.
A key issue highlighted by IDC is related to the lack of skills to cater for the demand created by digital transformation projects: according to IDC, some 450,000 job vacancies will not be filled due to the lack of qualified personnel.