AI regulation in Chile: laws & policy (2026)

Legal framework

AI Bill No. 16821-19 (pending Senate approval) + National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2021-2030 (updated 2024 via Decree No. 12), led by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (MinCiencia)

Key points: artificial intelligence in Chile

1. 01National AI Policy 2024 update

   In May 2024 Chile updated its 10-year National AI Policy (2021-2030) via Decree No. 12, shifting emphasis toward governance, human rights, and ethical use. It was the first country to incorporate UNESCO's Readiness Assessment Methodology results into national AI policy, and established an Inter-ministerial Commission on AI chaired by MinCiencia.

   unesco.org bcn.cl digitalpolicyalert.org

2. 02AI Bill No. 16821-19, legislative progress

   Introduced by President Boric's government in May 2024 and approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 13 October 2025, the bill is now in its second constitutional review in the Senate. As of early 2026 it continues Senate proceedings with no fixed enactment date.

   cadeproject.org diarioconstitucional.cl senado.cl

3. 03EU-style risk-based classification

   The bill establishes four AI risk tiers: unacceptable risk (banned outright), high risk (subject to conformity obligations), limited risk (transparency obligations only), and no evident risk. The architecture mirrors the EU AI Act.

   carey.cl cms.law

4. 04Prohibited AI uses

   The bill bans AI applications posing unacceptable risk, including social scoring systems, subliminal manipulation, and non-consensual real-time biometric identification in public spaces, all of which are deemed incompatible with fundamental rights.

   cadeproject.org facia.ai

5. 05Synthetic content transparency

   Operators of AI systems that generate synthetic audio, images, video, or text must label that content as artificially generated or manipulated, addressing deepfake and disinformation risks.

   biobiochile.cl cms.law

6. 06Governance body: Technical AI Advisory Council

   The bill provides for a multi-stakeholder Technical Advisory Council on AI, comprising state, academic, industry, and civil-society representatives, tasked with maintaining risk classification lists and advising on public policy.

   carey.cl iapp.org

Timeline of decisions

1. 23 Feb 2026Law · official
   AI Regulation Bill Enters Senate Committee Review

   Bill No. 16821-19 was referred to the Senate's Future Challenges, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee for its second constitutional review. No fixed enactment date has been set; the Senate may introduce amendments before final passage.

   Senado República de Chile

2. 1 Oct 2025Law · official
   Chamber of Deputies Passes AI Systems Regulation Bill (No. 16821-19)

   The Chamber approved the government's comprehensive AI bill and forwarded it to the Senate, despite rejecting key governance articles. The bill adopts a four-tier risk model (unacceptable / high / limited / no-evident-risk) modeled on the EU AI Act, with fines up to 20,000 UTM and a civil liability regime.

   Ministerio de Ciencias, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación

3. 7 May 2024Law · official
   President Boric Submits AI Systems Regulation Bill (No. 16821-19) to Congress

   The executive merged its own draft with a prior parliamentary proposal and submitted a unified AI bill to the Chamber of Deputies. The bill covers definitions, prohibited uses (unacceptable-risk systems), obligations for high-risk systems, transparency for synthetic content, governance under the Ministry of Science, and supervisory powers for the data-protection and cybersecurity agencies.

   Ministerio de Ciencias, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación

4. 1 Jan 2024Guidance · official
   Decree No. 12 Formally Adopts Updated National AI Policy

   Chile formally updated its National AI Policy through Supreme Decree No. 12, shifting the national strategy from technology promotion alone to a governance-first model that prioritises human rights, social equity, environmental sustainability, and the ethics of generative AI, providing the policy foundation for the subsequent legislative bill.

   Ministerio de Ciencias, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación

5. 3 Dec 2021Guidance · official
   Chile Approves First National Artificial Intelligence Policy (2021-2030)

   The Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation adopted Chile's inaugural AI policy, a ten-year strategic framework with 70 priority actions and 185 initiatives built on three pillars: enabling factors, technology use and development, and ethics and security. Aligned explicitly with OECD AI Principles, it committed CLP 26 billion in public investment and engaged over 8,000 stakeholders in its drafting.

   OECD.AI Policy Observatory

6. 22 May 2019Guidance · official
   Chile Adheres to OECD Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence

   As an OECD member, Chile endorsed the first intergovernmental AI standard, committing to human-centred, transparent, robust, accountable, and trustworthy AI. The OECD AI Principles became the explicit normative reference in all subsequent Chilean AI policy documents and legislative proposals.

   OECD Legal Instruments

Sources

1. 1.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1210664
2. 2.senado.cl/comunicaciones/noticias/proyecto-que-regula-sistemas-de-inteligencia-
3. 3.diarioconstitucional.cl/2026/02/23/proyecto-de-ley-que-regula-integralmente-la-inteligencia-a
4. 4.unesco.org/en/articles/chile-launches-national-ai-policy-and-introduces-ai-bill-
5. 5.cadeproject.org/updates/chiles-artificial-intelligence-regulation-bill-advances-to-th
6. 6.carey.cl/en/bill-to-regulate-artificial-intelligence-systems-is-introduced-to-
7. 7.digitalpolicyalert.org/change/8356-national-artificial-intelligence-policy
8. 8.cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/ai-regulation-scanner/chile
9. 9.facia.ai/knowledgebase/chiles-ai-regulation-bill-no-16821-19/
10. 10.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/chile/2025/10/13/chile-avanza-hacia-la-primera-ley-
11. 11.iapp.org/news/a/contin-a-la-tramitaci-n-del-proyecto-de-ley-sobre-ia-en-chile