Jun 6, 2025
In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges not as a technology alien to the Costa Rican model, but as a tool to deepen that model. From precision agriculture to species conservation and energy management, Costa Rica is beginning to show how AI can be used not only to optimize businesses, but also to protect what's essential.
AI and “Natural Intelligence”: an evolution of the country model
The "Natural Intelligence" strategy, presented by the Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (PROCOMER) in 2024 as an evolution of the "Essential Costa Rica" brand, seeks to position the country as a benchmark in sustainability and ethical innovation. Far from contrasting nature and technology, Costa Rica proposes a symbiosis: leveraging tools like AI to solve complex environmental and social challenges.
This vision aligns with international trends in “regenerative technology,” in which development is not simply less harmful, but actively restorative.
Real-life applications of AI in Costa Rican sustainability:
Precision agriculture
The use of smart sensors, drones, and AI models allows for irrigation optimization, reduced agrochemical use, and pest and disease prediction. Agricultural companies in the Northern Zone and Central Valley are already working with data analytics tools for crops such as coffee, pineapple, and avocado.
According to La República, producers in Guanacaste are using AI to cross-reference meteorological and soil data, achieving reductions of up to 20% in water consumption without affecting crop yields ( La República, May 2025 ).
Biodiversity monitoring
The green macaw conservation project in the northern Caribbean uses AI to analyze acoustic recordings and detect the presence of endangered birds. This approach allows for noninvasive, continuous surveillance with a level of precision superior to traditional human monitoring ( Executives of La República, April 2025 ).
In addition, researchers at the National University have begun training algorithms to classify frog sounds, which will facilitate the evaluation of humid ecosystems without having to intervene directly.
Energy optimization
The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has incorporated predictive algorithms to balance electricity consumption based on demand and renewable energy generation. While there is no national AI system for energy yet, the first pilots aim to improve operational efficiency without expanding physical infrastructure, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of the national electricity system.
Why does this matter for businesses?
AI makes it possible to measure and improve energy efficiency, resource consumption, and waste generation. These metrics are key in international tenders and sustainability certifications.
Multilateral banks and impact funds are channeling resources into projects that use clean technologies and data to generate measurable environmental benefits.
Integrating AI with a sustainable approach better positions the company with government agencies, strategic partners, and the public.
Challenges and risks to be considered
Technology gap between companies: Many SMEs still lack access or sufficient training to implement AI, which could lead to inequalities.
Dependence on foreign solutions: Many AI platforms come from abroad, raising questions about data sovereignty and costs.
Ethics in environmental automation: Some decisions can have unintended consequences for rural communities or ecosystems without human oversight.
Therefore, implementation must be carried out responsibly, with technical support and multisectoral participation.
Costa Rica has a unique opportunity: to use artificial intelligence not only to compete in the global market, but also to protect and regenerate its natural capital. Under the "Natural Intelligence" approach, technology ceases to be an end in itself and becomes a tool to sustain what truly matters: human well-being, biodiversity, and resilience to climate change.
Companies that understand this vision and act with a long-term vision will not only be more sustainable, but also more competitive. And Costa Rica, as a country, will be able to demonstrate that innovation and sustainability are not parallel paths, but rather the same path.