AGP Executive Report

AI & Jobs in LatAm: The IDB says AI could lift Latin America and the Caribbean output by 5.1% over a decade, but wages may drop 13.5% to 20.9% if workers can’t shift into growing jobs. Data Centers & Power Costs: The U.S. House backed a federal rule pushing large data centers to pay for grid upgrades; the Senate stalled it, keeping the fight over who foots the bill alive. Cooling Tech in the Region: OData will deploy Aligned’s DeltaFlow liquid cooling at Brazil and Mexico data centers, aiming to support high-density AI racks. Chile Space Science: Chilean-led work confirms “Elias 2-24 b,” a very young, Jupiter-size exoplanet, using Keck, ALMA, and Chile’s VLT. Climate Watch: El Niño has hit a record-breaking peak temperature months early, with forecasts pointing to even higher levels later this year. Aquaculture Innovation in Chile: Sudvet is applying botanical compounds—rooted in a 2,000-year health approach—to boost fish resilience and cut reliance on antibiotics. Chile Tech & Business: Ticketplus acquired Argentina’s Autoentrada to expand its live-entertainment ticketing brand into Chile’s neighboring market.

Space Science: Chile-linked astronomers helped confirm Elias 2-24 b, the youngest known exoplanet—Jupiter-sized and under 1 million years old—still forming inside a dusty disk, challenging planet-formation models. Mining & Energy Transition: Cobre Limited reported progress on a new Sierra Gorda drilling program in Chile’s Sierra Atacama, including a deep diamond hole intersecting chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralization and restarting underground delineation. UN & AI Governance: The UN General Assembly’s high-level week in New York spotlights AI oversight, with leaders debating how to manage fast-moving tech amid wars and funding pressure. Chile in the Spotlight (Policy): A Chilean former president, Michelle Bachelet, withdrew from the UN secretary-general race, citing instability and weakening multilateral cooperation. Society & Science Ethics: Basel museums returned Kawésqar remains to Chile, while reporting highlights Switzerland’s broader colonial-era holdings of thousands of human remains. Workplace Psychology: A Chile-Canada study suggests some women’s “kindness” can be strategic competitive behavior, published in Frontiers in Psychology.

Space Science (Chile): Astronomers using Chilean and other observatories confirmed “Elias 2-24 b,” the youngest known exoplanet—under 1 million years old—found in Keck/ALMA/VLT data and still accreting gas and dust. Deep-Sea Research (Chile margin): A study recorded amphipods clinging to giant sea spiders at 2,700–3,100 meters off Chile, hinting the crustaceans may be using the larger animals for transport. Public Health/Environment (Latin America): Research warns “plastic pollution hotspots” across Latin America are straining waste systems after China’s 2018 plastic-waste ban, with health risks tied to leaking plastics. Climate & Disasters (Colombia): A major wildfire threatens Villa de Leyva in central Colombia, with aircraft and helicopters deployed as El Niño-driven dryness fuels the blaze. Policy/UN (Chile): Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet withdraws from the UN secretary-general race, citing violations of international law and climate denial. Tech/Infrastructure (Chile region): Equinix says AI is boosting data center and interconnection demand, including in the Americas with leadership spanning Chile and Argentina.

Space Science in Chile: Astronomers using Chile-based data and telescopes confirmed Elias 2-24 b, the youngest known exoplanet—under 1 million years old—highlighting how infant planets still accrete gas and dust. Deep-Sky Survey: Another Chile-linked study mapped nearly 50 ultra-faint “ghost galaxies” around distant galaxies, feeding an ongoing debate about how galaxies form. Black Hole Watch: ESO observations also flagged S301, the fastest known Milky Way star, racing around Sagittarius A* close enough to probe the black hole’s spin. Public Health & Environment: A new report warns “plastic pollution hotspots” across Latin America are straining waste systems and creating health risks. Chile in the News: Former President Michelle Bachelet withdrew her bid to become UN secretary-general after low support in Security Council straw polls. Mining Update: Tesoro Gold advanced Chile’s Ternera project with a maiden ore reserve, moving it toward feasibility and permitting.

Space & Astronomy: Astronomers confirmed the youngest known planet, Elias 2-24 b, a Jupiter-size world under 1 million years old, using archived Keck Observatory data—an unusually clear look at planet formation still in progress. Public Health (Chile): Chile became the first South American country validated by the WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies, highlighting long-term vaccination, surveillance, and rapid access to post-exposure care. SpaceX (Chile impact): SpaceX pushed Starship Flight 14 from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28; the mission aims for the first Earth-orbit attempt and will deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites, with splashdown planned west of Chile. Climate & Marine Life (Peru/Chile region): A “super” El Niño is intensifying, with extreme coastal heat and major seabird and sea-lion die-offs reported across Peru’s coast. Geoscience (Chile): A capybara tooth fossil from the Atacama suggests parts of today’s hyper-dry desert were once much wetter, challenging long-held views of the region’s dryness. Mining (Chile): Tesoro Gold added a maiden ore reserve for its Ternera deposit in Chile’s Atacama, moving the project toward feasibility and permitting steps.

Ancient DNA & Public Health: Chilean researchers recovered fragments of variola (smallpox) DNA from naturally mummified Indigenous remains in northern Chile, offering the first ancient smallpox genomes from the Americas and new clues about the virus’ arrival and spread. Paleoclimate Shock: A capybara tooth fossil in Chile’s Atacama suggests parts of the “world’s driest” desert were much wetter millions of years ago, challenging the long-held dry-at-all-times story. Space Tech: SpaceX pushed Starship Flight 14 to Sept. 28 (from Sept. 22) with no explanation; the first orbital test is still pending approval and aims to deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites before splashdown west of Chile. Astronomy From Chile: A newly confirmed “baby” Jupiter-size exoplanet, Elias 2-24 b, is under a million years old—so young it strains planet-formation models. AI & Policy: A new survey finds trust in AI regulation varies by region, with many people expecting job loss rather than job creation. Chile Health Milestone: Chile became the first South American country validated by WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies, highlighting decades of vaccination, surveillance, and rapid post-exposure care.

Space & Astronomy: Astronomers confirmed Elias 2-24 b, the youngest known planet—less than a million years old—found using Chile-linked Keck Observatory archival data, and it’s forcing planet-formation models to rethink how fast giant worlds can grow. AI in Health: A multicenter study using early-pregnancy data from Sweden, Chile and Singapore reports machine learning can flag higher-risk pregnancies earlier than current methods, though models don’t perform equally well across populations. Chile Public Health: Chile was validated by WHO as the first South American country to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem, highlighting long-term vaccination, surveillance and access to post-exposure care. SpaceX Watch: SpaceX shares slid after Starship’s first orbital test flight was pushed to Sept. 28; the mission aims for about six orbits and Starlink V3 deployment, with splashdown west of Chile. Digital Agriculture Patents: The EPO says digital agriculture patent filings are accelerating, with Latin America emerging as a hub and Mexico leading in AgTech/food tech grants. Security & Tech Policy: Pew survey results show Chileans’ trust in AI regulators is split, with China, the US and EU viewed similarly. Regional Defense: Chile is monitoring Peru and Argentina’s military investment plans amid budget pressure.

AI Regulation Trust: A Pew Research Center survey finds China is most trusted to regulate AI (median 43%), ahead of the US (35%) and the EU (34%), with Chile showing similar trust levels across all three. Critical Minerals Skills Gap: The US Department of Energy is putting $16M into mining and critical minerals education to tackle workforce shortages across extraction, processing, and recycling. Chile Space Science: Chile-based researchers helped confirm the youngest known exoplanet, Elias 2-24 b (under 1 million years old), using Keck Observatory data plus ALMA and ESO observations. Biodiversity Conservation: Chile’s rare tree daisy (Dendroseris neriifolia) gets a lifeline as the last wild survivor is supported and seedlings are moved to Scotland’s Logan Botanic Garden. Public Health Milestone (Chile): Chile becomes the first South American country validated by WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem. Mining Update (Chile): Tesoro Gold unveils a maiden 1.28Moz ore reserve at its Ternera gold deposit in Chile, backing a long-life single open-pit plan.

Chile Public Health: Chile became the first South American country validated by the WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem, citing sustained interruption, surveillance and vaccination systems. Space Science (Chile-linked): Astronomers confirmed the youngest known exoplanet, Elias 2-24 b (under 1 million years old), using Keck Observatory data plus ALMA and ESO’s Very Large Telescope; the study is led by Chile’s Diego Portales University. AgTech (Chile): Instacrops, a Chile-based farm AI startup, is using AI agents to turn sensor, satellite and weather data into practical irrigation and crop-management recommendations for farmers. Energy Storage (Chile): Turbo Energy says it’s expanding its Spain-and-Chile C&I footprint with 15 energy storage projects (15.6 MWh), using AI-driven energy management. AI & Jobs (Chile included): A Pew survey across 36 countries finds more people expect AI to reduce jobs than create them, with awareness and concern varying sharply by income and age. Tech/Logistics (Chile-adjacent): Elroy Air and Bristow expanded early delivery reservations for the Chaparral autonomous cargo aircraft after FAA eVTOL integration demo flights.

Space Tech: SpaceX is gearing up for Starship Flight 14 on Sept. 22, aiming for the rocket’s first true orbital attempt—about six Earth orbits over nearly 10 hours, carrying 26 Starlink V3 satellites, with splashdown west of Chile if regulators sign off. Chile Science & Nature: Chile’s Atacama Desert is seeing a rare “desert bloom” after unusually heavy rains, while Chilean researchers also co-authored work confirming the youngest known planet (under 1 million years old). Biodiversity & Conservation: A rare Chilean tree daisy (Dendroseris neriifolia) has new seedlings in Scotland’s Logan Botanic Garden, and mycologists are pushing for stronger legal protection for fungi—backed by Chile and the UK. Health & Research: A Cambridge study links transcendental meditation to distinct brain activity patterns tied to “pure awareness,” and UC San Diego research maps early-onset cirrhosis risk in younger adults with fatty liver disease. Tech & Security: Lumen reports a stealth malware family, BambooToken, using MQTT to control compromised Windows and Linux systems. Policy & Society: A WEF report says gender parity progress is fragile, with women still underrepresented in high-influence roles and AI engineering.

Education & Skills: PISA 2025 results show Latin America’s 15-year-olds slipping further in reading and math, with most students failing to reach basic benchmarks—raising alarms for long-term productivity and competitiveness. Food & Fisheries: IFFO reports fishmeal and fish oil output running far behind 2025, with Peru and Chile hit hard as El Niño disrupts anchovy quotas. Health Research: UC San Diego defines early-onset cirrhosis linked to fatty liver disease (MASLD), highlighting a distinct risk profile tied to genetics and type 2 diabetes. Space: SpaceX’s Starship “flight 14” aims to finally reach orbit, a key step for Artemis and future Mars plans. Wildfire Tech: SenseNet buys N5 Sensors’ wildfire business to expand its AI wildfire detection platform. HIV Prevention (LatAm): Gilead and PAHO announce a regional push to speed access to twice-yearly lenacapavir for PrEP across Latin America and the Caribbean. Cybersecurity (Space Data): The International Meteor Organization says a cyberattack knocked out much of its site, with partial restoration underway. Chile Context: Chile is highlighted in the rabies elimination milestone and in regional health access coverage.

AI for accessibility: A Pune engineer built “ListenToMe,” an Android app that turns PDFs, photos, scans, and handwritten notes into natural-sounding audio and can describe images like charts and diagrams. Space tech: SpaceX is targeting Flight 14 (no earlier than Sept. 22) for Starship’s first orbital attempt, with a health check deciding whether it circularizes into orbit and then splashes down west of Chile after about six orbits. Chile public health: Chile became the first country in South America validated by the WHO for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem. Climate & agriculture: New research links climate change to hotter, drier conditions that are squeezing grape growers and increasing fire and smoke risks for wine quality. Mining & critical minerals: Zambia says its nationwide high-resolution geophysical survey is 93.6% complete to improve mineral mapping and attract exploration investment. Maritime safety: A World Shipping Council report says 10.36% of inspected cargo units in 2025 had safety deficiencies, with Chile among the countries submitting data.

Chile Public Health Milestone: Chile became the first country in South America to get WHO validation for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem, after decades of dog vaccination, surveillance, and post-exposure care. Air Quality & Sleep: New research using a sleep-tracking app links higher air pollution to more nighttime coughing—even when pollution stays under WHO daily limits—raising concerns for respiratory health and sleep quality. HIV Prevention Access: Gilead and PAHO agreed to widen access to twice-yearly lenacapavir (Yeztugo) for HIV prevention across Latin America and the Caribbean via PAHO’s regional purchasing system, including Chile. Maritime Monitoring: Chile’s Navy says a Chinese fishing fleet has shifted resupply operations from Peru to Chile, with dozens of vessels detected near Easter Island and authorities monitoring activity outside Chile’s EEZ. ADHD & Eye Tracking: A study reanalyzed Santiago data and found pupils in children with ADHD fluctuate more across repeated tasks, with methylphenidate reducing that variability. Cybersecurity: Researchers disclosed BambooToken malware that uses MQTT to control Windows and Linux systems, with activity tied to South America and Asia. Astronomy in Chile: Telescope Live highlights Chile-based observing sites, offering pre-calibrated astrophotography datasets to users without owning hardware. Tech & Finance in Chile: Santander Chile announced a major multi-year investment plan tied to technology transformation, data, AI, and a revamped branch model.

AI Regulation Debate: AFP spotlights global fears and hopes as leading US labs push for coordinated slowdown, while users in Italy and Indonesia weigh benefits against wrong answers and loss of control. Chile Tech & Industry: Startup.Connect 2026 returns to Santiago (Oct 8) with 16 large firms and 20 Chilean startups, targeting Fintech, Agtech, Cleantech and SaaS via pre-arranged Meet&Connect meetings. Space Science (Chile-linked): Hawaiʻi telescopes help confirm the two most distant quasars, using Euclid plus Keck and Subaru, reaching back to the universe’s first ~670 million years. Critical Minerals & Supply Chains: Analysis and policy coverage tie BRICS and EU reporting changes to the push for reliable critical-mineral supply, with Latin America’s role in lithium/copper processing under scrutiny. Maritime Safety: World Shipping Council data flags 10.36% of inspected cargo units in 2025 with packing, securing, or documentation problems—Chile is among the reporting countries. Infrastructure Mega-Project: A feasibility study advances for an underwater tunnel beneath the Strait of Magellan, using prefabricated blocks and robotics for Argentina–Chile territorial integration.

Chile Tech & Policy: Chile’s DNR canceled Twin Metals Minnesota’s mineral lease in the Boundary Waters area, citing unmet performance and production requirements, with termination effective Nov. 10. Space & Industry: South Korea’s CONTEC is exploring a Kazakhstan production hub for satellite components and ground-antenna localization, plus AI-enabled satellite imagery processing; the group already runs 17 ground stations including in Chile. Public Safety & Biotech: Chilean police arrested three men, including a biochemist accused of running a synthetic-drug operation tied to Popper, after customs flagged more than 100 shipments of packaging supplies. Finance & Innovation: At ChileDay Madrid 2026, Santander’s Ana Botín highlighted a tech-and-AI push and announced an $800M investment plan for Chile. Sustainability & Fisheries: Chile, Ecuador, and Peru agreed on an initial regional roadmap for the giant squid fishery, aiming to strengthen scientific cooperation and coordinated governance. Digital Twins: NTT DATA Chile and the Digital Twin Consortium launched COMPOSE, a modular digital twin testbed built around a microfactory for scalable adoption. AI Backlash: A growing anti–data-center movement is spreading from Europe to Chile, focusing on water and energy impacts. Talent & Startups: Startup.Connect 2026 will match 16 large companies with 20 Chilean and regional tech startups at Santiago’s País Digital Summit.

Climate Science: New research says heatwaves will get hotter and longer, with the duration increasing faster with each extra fraction of global warming—raising risks for health, agriculture, power grids, and wildfires. Fisheries & Sustainability: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission agreed a long-term harvest strategy for Pacific bluefin tuna, allowing slight catch increases while adding automatic cutbacks if stocks decline. Chile Mining Tech: CNSME PUMP says it completed a major slurry pump retrofit at an Antofagasta mine, cutting operating costs and triggering follow-on engineering for an expansion. AI in Medicine: A report highlights surgeons using live AI during brain surgery to help avoid critical nerves and vessels in real time. Chile Energy/Industry: Sonnedix secured about €1.3bn to advance Chile renewables and storage, aiming to scale projects. Copper Markets: Spot treatment charges for copper concentrate reportedly fell below $20/tonne, signaling tighter concentrate supply ahead of refined-market impacts. Venice Film Festival: “Woman Unknown” won the Golden Lion, with Chilean audiences likely watching as Chilean actor John Malkovich took a best-actor prize for “Wild Horse Nine.”