Chile is looking to establish an artificial intelligence campus in the Antofagasta Region, leveraging the area's renewable energy resources and high connectivity. The project's infrastructure is designed to start at 100 megawatts, with the potential to scale up to one gigawatt.
According to a report by elmostrador.cl, the proposal draws on Chile's previous success in the astronomy sector, where the creation of robust administrative frameworks helped the country secure more than 60% of the world's observational capacity by 2030.
The initiative comes amid a global surge in critical infrastructure expansion. Between 2024 and 2025, major operators including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta announced investments exceeding $300 billion in computing capacity.
Pillars of the proposed regulation
Developing this campus will require ratification from the current administration to accelerate its execution. The plan has already completed a technical diagnostic phase, funded by multilateral development banks, and has established a consensus-based roadmap.
However, implementation must be guided by clear rules across four critical areas. The first priority is ensuring data sovereignty and protection through a legal framework that defines oversight powers before contracts are signed.
Secondly, the National Artificial Intelligence Policy must serve as an enabling condition for training models within the country. This includes a mandatory ethical framework for all technological processes.
The proposal also demands the capture of local value through the creation of high-skilled jobs and stronger ties with regional universities. The goal is to ensure the project goes beyond being merely a vehicle for energy sales.
Finally, the project must meet strict environmental standards. Given the region's arid climate, water and energy designs must comply with the most demanding efficiency levels in the world.
The text analyzed by elmostrador.cl maintains that regulation is fundamental to the viability of such projects. "It is a mistake to think that requesting safeguards delays investment projects: regulation is precisely what makes these large-scale, cutting-edge technological infrastructure projects bankable, politically defensible, and sustainable over the long term," the source notes.
