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Country framework

Costa Rica AI country framework

Architecture of public policy, regulation, technical guidelines and institutional adoption of AI within the Costa Rican State.

Costa Rica already has principles, strategy, technical guidelines and institutional adoption. The pending gap is turning that framework into shared, verifiable and actionable procedures for public institutions.

Last update: August 2026

Quick indicators

What the country framework already shows, in verifiable numbers.

Record
1
National strategy
ENIA 2024-2027
Record
1
Action Plan
Inter-institutional implementation
Record
1
AI chapter in the CNTD
Mandatory technical guidelines
Record
7
Legislative files
None approved yet
Record
11
Institutions with documented initiatives
Institutional catalog across three evidence layers
Record
31
Initiatives mapped
7 verified, 8 under review and 16 ecosystem records

Country framework architecture

The AI framework in Costa Rica does not rely on a single document. It is built from layers with different function, scope and institutional force. Some guide, some bind, some are in process and others show real adoption.

  1. Layer 1

    International principles

    Referential

    Instruments

    OECD, global recommendations and public-policy tools.

    Function

    Frame the national conversation on trustworthy AI, rights, transparency, robustness, accountability and responsible innovation.

    Scope

    Country level

    Force

    Referential

    Gap it leaves

    Does not translate principles into concrete institutional procedures.

  2. Layer 2

    National strategy

    Guiding

    Instruments

    ENIA 2024-2027, Action Plan and associated diagnostics such as AILA.

    Function

    Defines priorities, country vision, action lines and inter-institutional commitments for AI development and adoption.

    Scope

    National and inter-institutional

    Force

    Guiding and coordinating

    Gap it leaves

    Does not by itself set the daily procedure each institution must follow when adopting, procuring, evaluating or scaling AI systems.

  3. Layer 3

    CNTD, AI chapter

    Mandatory

    Instruments

    National Digital Technologies Code, Executive Decree 44507-MICITT, Chapter 7 on Artificial Intelligence.

    Function

    Sets technical and governance criteria for public-sector digital initiatives, including risk management, security, maintenance, technical standards, sustainability, monitoring and incident response.

    Scope

    Public sector

    Force

    Mandatory for State digital initiatives and projects

    Gap it leaves

    Sets guidelines and controls, but does not yet function as a single operational playbook with standardized forms, roles, evidence, risk thresholds and approval flows.

    View Decree 44507-MICITT at PGR View current CNTD at MICITT

  4. Layer 4

    Bills in process

    Not in force

    Instruments

    7 legislative files: 4 whose primary subject is AI and 3 directly related to digital advertising, deepfakes, personal traits, digital creations and coordinated manipulation.

    Function

    Aims to establish rights, duties, institutional limits, responsibilities and control mechanisms.

    Scope

    National

    Force

    Not yet in force

    Gap it leaves

    With no approved law, Costa Rica operates without a specific AI legal framework. Even with a law, an operational layer translating legal duties into institutional procedures will still be necessary.

  5. Layer 5

    Institutional initiatives

    Operational

    Instruments

    31 AI-related initiatives across 11 institutions: 7 verified adoptions, 8 under review and 16 ecosystem and capacity records.

    Function

    Documents AI-related systems, pilots, plans and capabilities in the public sector. The current inventory includes 31 initiatives of different types and maturity; only 7 meet the verified-adoption rule.

    Scope

    Institutional and sectoral

    Force

    Varies by initiative

    Gap it leaves

    Initiatives have different levels of evidence, standards and governance, without a common public methodology across the State.

    In addition to production projects, there are sectoral governance instruments such as the Basic Guidelines for the use of Authorized Generative AI in the Judiciary. These are relevant but do not amount to a national framework applicable to the entire State.

  6. Layer 6

    Common procedure pending

    Pending

    Instruments

    National public-AI playbook (pending).

    Function

    Turn principles, strategy and guidelines into verifiable procedures for institutional teams.

    Scope

    Costa Rican public sector

    Force

    Shared operational guidance, ideally linked to the CNTD and the digital-government model

    Gap it leaves

    Risk, procurement, human oversight, traceability, audit, pilot-to-production transition, incidents, user rights and service continuity.

Costa Rica already has a framework. The next step is turning it into shared operational capacity.

AI governance milestones in Costa Rica

Unlike the institutional adoption timeline, this view shows the evolution of the country framework: documents, guidelines, regulation, international engagement and strategic decisions.

  1. OECD AI Principles: first intergovernmental standard for trustworthy AI, with Costa Rica among the adherent countries in Latin America

  2. First legislative files on AI submitted to the Legislative Assembly

  3. Publication of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (ENIA 2024-2027)

  4. Incorporation of Chapter 7 on AI into the CNTD (Decree 44507-MICITT)

  5. ENIA Action Plan

  6. 2025

    Progress of substitute texts and legislative reports on AI

  7. 2026

    Consolidation of the public inventory of AI projects across the State

  8. Pending

    General AI law or regulatory framework approved

  9. Pending

    National operational playbook for public AI adoption

What each instrument solves

Not all instruments play the same role. Some define principles, others set strategic direction, others fix technical guidelines, and others seek to create legal obligations. This matrix shows what exists, who it applies to and what gap it leaves.

OECD Principles

Referential
Type
Reference
Scope
Country
Status
In force
Published
What it solves
Ethical and political framework for trustworthy AI.
What it does not solve
Provides no institutional procedures.

ENIA 2024-2027

Guiding
Type
Strategy
Scope
Country
Status
In force
Published
What it solves
Country priorities and vision for AI.
What it does not solve
Does not define a daily operational protocol.

ENIA Action Plan

Guiding
Type
Strategic implementation
Scope
Inter-institutional
Status
In force
Published
What it solves
Inter-institutional commitments and tasks.
What it does not solve
Does not standardize daily execution per institution.

CNTD, Chapter 7 AI

Mandatory
Type
Technical guideline
Scope
Public sector
Status
In force
Published
What it solves
Technical criteria and governance controls.
What it does not solve
Does not descend to a detailed institutional playbook.

AI bills

Not in force
Type
Regulation
Scope
Country
Status
In process
Published
What it solves
Eventual legal framework of rights and duties.
What it does not solve
Does not solve current public operations.

Basic Guidelines for the use of Authorized Generative AI in the Judiciary

Operational
Type
Sectoral
Scope
Judiciary
Status
In force
Published
What it solves
Authorized internal use of generative AI within the Judiciary.
What it does not solve
Does not apply to the State at large.

Operational governance gaps

Costa Rica already has a base of public policy and technical guidelines. The next challenge is moving from framework documents to installed institutional capacity.

  • There is no national AI playbook for the public sector.
  • There is no common format for AI-system inventory.
  • There is no shared methodology for classifying use-case risk.
  • There are no common public-procurement criteria for AI solutions.
  • There is no national human-oversight and traceability protocol.
  • There is no public AI-incident reporting mechanism.
  • There is no institutional compliance dashboard.

From policy to documented implementation

The country framework shows rules, strategies and guidelines. The institutional inventory brings together systems, pilots, plans and capabilities with different levels of evidence. One explains the governance architecture; the other supports implementation tracking.

Sources and inclusion criteria

This page includes national documents, international instruments, technical guidelines, legislative files and documented institutional initiatives. Announcements or pilots without evidence of execution should be shown as such, not as verified adoption.

Sources

  • Official MICITT documents
  • Executive Decree 44507-MICITT and CNTD
  • Legislative Assembly
  • OECD
  • ILIA
  • Public institutions
  • AI Observatory Costa Rica own mapping

Inclusion criteria

  • Verifiable public document as primary evidence.
  • Inclusion proportional to instrument scope (country, public sector, institution).
  • Explicit distinction between referential, guiding and mandatory force.
  • Explicit distinction among operational systems, pilots, plans and capabilities; an official mention does not equal execution.