Addressing Mexico’s Regulatory Gap for AI in Public Services

Wed, 06 May 2026 17:03:00 +0200

Mexico is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence (AI) to make decisions that affect citizens’ lives, including allocating social benefits, evaluating credit applications, prioritizing medical care, and determining security risk profiles. Despite this growing reliance, there is a significant regulatory gap. Existing data protection laws, enacted before the rise of AI, do not address automated decision-making or provide mechanisms for citizens to challenge or understand AI-driven outcomes. This lack of oversight not only threatens privacy but also undermines public trust in government digital services. The situation has been complicated by the dissolution of Mexico's National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information, and Personal Data Protection (INAI), with its responsibilities now under the Secretariat for Anti-Corruption and Good Governance, raising concerns about regulatory independence. Experts warn that without mandatory algorithmic impact assessments, public AI s