Blogs

AIMARA LAB & ARTIFICIO: A Strategic Alliance to Advance AI in Latin America

August, 2025

We are thrilled to announce a new strategic collaboration between AIMARA LAB and ARTIFICIO, two leading organizations in the artificial intelligence landscape. This alliance marks the beginning of a new chapter, driven by a shared mission: to develop cutting-edge AI solutions with a strong local impact and a global perspective. Our main goal is to tackle one of the most significant challenges in our region: understanding and navigating complex urban environments. This partnership combines our strengths to create technology that can interpret the unique nuances of Latin American cities. A Fusion of Vision and Language This collaboration is built on the synergy between our fields of expertise. AIMARA LAB brings its deep knowledge in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and large-scale data management, while ARTIFICIO contributes its pioneering technology in intelligent vision for autonomous vehicles. Together, we will focus on developing a groundbreaking project: a Multimodal Artificial Intelligence Model for the Understanding and Navigation of Complex Urban Environments in Latin America. In line with the latest trends and our commitment to the community, our focus will be on creating small, efficient, open-source models. Key Objectives and Deliverables Our joint work will be guided by clear and impactful goals: - Small Open-Source Models: The first prototype of our multimodal model will be open-source, promoting accessibility and collaborative innovation in the AI community. - Autonomous Driving Applications: We will pioneer new applications for autonomous driving, leveraging the model's ability to integrate visual and textual data to make navigation safer and more efficient. - Latin American Datasets: A key outcome will be the creation of specialized, annotated datasets that capture the specific context of our region. - Joint Research: We will foster scientific advancement through joint research reports and academic publications. Building the Future, Together This alliance is more than a project; it's a commitment to strengthening the scientific and technological ecosystem in Peru and Latin America. We believe in an AI that is not only powerful but also ethical, responsible, and tailored to our realities. We are excited to embark on this journey and are confident that, by combining our visions, we will build a smarter, safer, and more connected future for our cities.

AIMARA LAB and CENIA Forge Alliance for a Foundational Large Language Model for Latin America

July, 2025

We are proud to announce a historic specific collaboration agreement between AIMARA LAB and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence of Chile (CENIA). This five-year alliance marks a pivotal moment for AI in our region, uniting two key institutions to tackle a monumental challenge: creating a foundational Large Language Model (LLM) for Latin America. The project, named the Latam GPT "Gran Modelo del Lenguaje (LLM) Latinoamericano," is led by CENIA and aims to develop an open-source large language model that will serve as a cornerstone for technological and scientific advancement across the region. A Collaborative Effort for Regional Advancement This project is a testament to the power of collaboration. Both institutions will bring their unique strengths to the table to ensure the success of the Latin American LLM. AIMARA LAB's Commitments include: <ul><li>- Supporting the collection of open data in various domains of Latin American Spanish.</li><li>- Providing technical assistance during the training process of the Large Language Models.</li><li>- Promoting the exchange of academic personnel, including professors and researchers, to foster shared knowledge.</li></ul> CENIA's Commitments include: <ul><li>- Providing all necessary computational power and equipment for the training, testing, and alignment of the LLM.</li><li>- Managing all legal aspects related to data governance, including licensing and availability.</li><li>- Ensuring access to all necessary technical resources for the project's development.</li></ul> Openness as a Core Principle A fundamental pillar of this project is the commitment to openness. CENIA will guarantee that the license for all elements of the Latin American LLM—including the data, architecture, and final model weights—is as open as possible, aiming for standards like CC-BY 4.0 or MIT. This ensures that the resulting technology will be a public good, accessible to researchers, developers, and innovators throughout Latin America. The final product will be a neural network trained on Spanish language data, including its architecture and final weights. A New Chapter for AI in Latin America We are honored to join forces with CENIA on this transformative initiative. This agreement is more than a technical project; it is a shared vision to build technological sovereignty and empower our regional scientific community. Together, we are laying the groundwork for a future where AI is developed by and for Latin America.

We are proud co-organizers of SIMBig 2024

July, 2024

The AiMara team had the honor of participating as co-organizers of the 11th International Conference on Information Management and Big Data (SIMBig 2024), one of the most important conferences in Latin America in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Machine Learning. This international event brought together a diverse and vibrant community of researchers, students, professionals, and technology enthusiasts, who shared experiences, findings, and challenges around the development of intelligent solutions for a constantly evolving world. Voices that inspire During SIMBig 2024, we had the privilege of sharing space with world-renowned speakers, including: 🌎 Andrew Gentles (Stanford University) 🌎 Aaron Courville (Université de Montréal) 🌎 Anna Korhonen (University of Cambridge) 🌎 Krishnaram Kenthapadi (Oracle Health AI) 🌎 Aline Villavicencio (University of Exeter) 🌎 Huan Liu (Arizona State University) Their talks not only shared cutting-edge knowledge, but also reminded us of the social and ethical impact that AI can and must have on our communities. An event that leaves a mark SIMBig 2024 was not just a conference, it was a celebration of scientific thought, interdisciplinary collaboration, and collective growth. As part of the organizing committee, AiMara Lab took on the commitment to contribute with vision, effort, and warmth at every stage of the event. We lived unforgettable moments with colleagues, friends, and attendees who shared their energy and enthusiasm for data science, natural language processing, deep learning, and many other areas. Commitment to science in Peru From AiMara, we renew our commitment to strengthening the scientific community in Peru and Latin America. We believe in an inclusive, ethical, and open AI that serves our local realities. We are deeply grateful to everyone who made SIMBig 2024 possible: organizers, volunteers, speakers, attendees, and strategic partners. This is just the beginning!

Techsuyo 2023: Inspiration from Silicon Valley

September 6-7, 2023

Under the motto 'Solving Challenges Like in Silicon Valley', outstanding Peruvian professionals working in top companies like Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon, and Netflix shared their knowledge and experiences for the first time at the Universidad San Pablo in Arequipa. With previous editions held at renowned institutions such as Stanford, MIT, and Berkeley, Techsuyo 2023 returned as one of the most important technology conferences in Latin America. During two intensive days—September 6 and 7, 2023—the event offered workshops, panels, and a hackathon, with over 30 experts addressing challenges and opportunities in technology development within high-performance environments like Silicon Valley. Featured speakers included Spencer Friedman (Rappi), Angela Galdós (Google), Emilia Paz (Google Chrome), Omar Flores (IBM Research), Luis Larco (Google X), and Bruno Wong (Amazon). Representing the National University of Moquegua (UNAM), a group of seven students—Allison Reynoso, Jamir Bacona, Selime Maquera, Yoselin Arocutipa, Estrella Velasquez, Mariela Nina, and Jhormely Sosa—had the opportunity to participate in this international event. The experience not only highlighted the differences between the national context and global innovation standards but also served as inspiration to take an important step: the creation of the AiMara Research Group, officially registered at UNAM. Since then, this group has initiated regular meetings where natural discussions about artificial intelligence and its fields have driven the development of projects with a global vision. Following the premise 'create technology, rather than just learn to use it', these young researchers have embarked on a path toward innovation and technological development. Direct contact and conversations with the Techsuyo 2023 speakers marked a turning point for this emerging group in Moquegua, turning received inspiration into concrete actions aimed at creating knowledge and technology from southern Peru.

AiMARA: From Native Language to Future Technology

July, 2023

The name 'AiMARA' comes from the fusion of 'AI' (Artificial Intelligence) and 'MARA', a word in the Aymara language meaning 'year', symbolizing the beginning of a new era of inclusive technology. This union represents the convergence between technological innovation and Andean cultural roots, demonstrating that artificial intelligence can also be built from identity and diversity. The term was publicly mentioned for the first time by Honorio Apaza during an interview, when presenting his first prototype of a machine translator for the Aymara language. Naming it 'AiMARA' reflected the cultural and technological essence of his project: developing artificial intelligence that actively involves indigenous communities. That moment marked the official birth of the AiMARA concept. Shortly after, the name transcended its initial technical role and became the symbol of a shared vision. In 2019, at the National University of Moquegua (UNAM), the AiMARA Research Group was born, where students and teachers took on the challenge of creating their own technologies in natural language processing and computer vision, guided by the motto: create technology, not just learn to use it. In 2025, this dream evolved with the creation of AiMARA Lab, a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research, technological development, and the digital preservation of ancestral culture. AiMARA Lab combines science, education, and innovation with an ethical and socially responsible perspective. Today, the term 'AiMARA' is no longer just a technical name nor a linguistic coincidence. It is a symbol of how technology can be born from our roots and become a tool for cultural preservation and empowerment of indigenous peoples. From southern Peru, AiMARA Lab shows that artificial intelligence can also be created by and for communities. AiMARA Lab is committed to developing artificial intelligence technologies with local impact and global projection.