With the conclusion of the 24th Mexican International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (MICAI 2025), not only did one of the most important scientific events of the year come to an end, but a new chapter was also written in the leadership of the Mexican Society for Artificial Intelligence (SMIA).
During the final plenary session, Dr. Lourdes Martínez, Head of the Master’s Program in Data Science at Universidad Panamericana, presented her end-of-term report (2024–2025) as President of SMIA, and the election of Dr. Hiram Ponce Espinosa, Director of the Center for Innovation and Technological Development at Universidad Panamericana, was announced as the new President of SMIA for the 2026–2028 term.
A Solid Assessment: The Legacy of Dr. Lourdes Martínez
Dr. Martínez’s administration left a profound mark on SMIA. In reviewing her term, she highlighted the successful organization of two Mexican Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (COMIA 2024 and COMIA 2025) and two editions of the Mexican International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (MICAI 2024 and MICAI 2025), which featured internationally renowned guests.
A particularly significant achievement she emphasized was the strong participation of professionals from industry and government at COMIA 2025, held at the UP Mixcoac campus.
Her administration was characterized by academic strengthening and enhanced engagement with external stakeholders.
“We succeeded in publishing the proceedings of these events in Springer and the outreach journal Komputer Sapiens in a timely manner, which strengthened the organization’s academic and professional presence and rigor,” she stated.
Likewise, she highlighted that one of the pillars of her leadership was the increased participation of board members in collaboration forums with industry and government, which made it possible to strengthen ties and generate greater social and economic impact.
At the international level, the creation of the AAAI Chapter of Mexico represented a significant advance, expanding SMIA’s reach and influence within the global artificial intelligence community.
In addition to the creation of this chapter and the publication of proceedings in Springer—among the initiatives that brought her the greatest satisfaction—Dr. Martínez mentioned the inclusion of an Industry Intelligent Applications Workshop at COMIA, as well as the review, improvement, and standardization of SMIA’s institutional image.
However, her administration was not without challenges. She emphasized that the greatest challenge lay in
“understanding the diverse needs of the actors within the national AI ecosystem,”
an effort that, she noted,
“is only possible thanks to the commitment and continued support of all SMIA members and the broader community.”
Future Challenges for Artificial Intelligence in Mexico
As she concluded her term, her outlook toward the future was clear:
“The artificial intelligence community in Mexico possesses great human talent,”
but it is imperative to
“establish effective strategies to retain and continuously train this talent.”
Accordingly, she called for improvements to the country’s technological infrastructure and, above all, for the definition of
“a clear national AI strategy that articulates a vision for promoting the responsible development of this technology.”
As guidance for her successor, Dr. Martínez put forward recommendations centered on four key areas:
- Continuing industry–government interaction
- Planning the international projection of MICAI
- Proposing AI literacy initiatives
- Planning a women’s gathering at conferences to promote inclusion and gender diversity in the sector
A New Stage: The Vision of Dr. Hiram Ponce
With the appointment of Dr. Hiram Ponce as President, SMIA enters a new stage focused on consolidating the progress achieved and exploring new growth opportunities.
His strategy to strengthen SMIA’s local impact includes continuing the organization of its two flagship conferences (COMIA and MICAI) and further strengthening the scientific outreach journal Komputer Sapiens.
He also announced the reactivation of a key initiative: the creation of SMIA student chapters, each led by a faculty researcher, through which the society will support connections with experts and the development of academic seminars.
In addition, strategic alliances between academia and industry will be promoted to strengthen education and knowledge development in artificial intelligence in Mexico.
To maintain and enhance MICAI’s international prestige, his strategy includes collaboration with more educational institutions and companies from regions outside Mexico, such as North America, Latin America, and Europe.
He also revealed that
“we are currently working on collaborations with AAAI,”
and that the promotion of the conference abroad will be strengthened through relationships with foreign embassies in Mexico.
Regarding the crucial issue of the ethical development of artificial intelligence, Dr. Ponce stated:
“From SMIA, we will increase dissemination regarding the opportunities and challenges faced by AI technology,”
and that SMIA will continue
“working closely with other national organizations to promote public policies aligned with the responsible use of artificial intelligence.”
Opportunities for the Universidad Panamericana Community
For the Universidad Panamericana community, Dr. Ponce’s new role translates into concrete opportunities.
“Through my previous experience and this new position within SMIA, we will be able to establish more alliances and linkages with the innovation ecosystem in artificial intelligence across the country,” he affirmed.
Among the possibilities he mentioned are:
- The signing of agreements to promote student and faculty mobility
- The organization of AI-focused seminars at Universidad Panamericana
- The creation of academic chairs in artificial intelligence, among others
“Both SMIA and Universidad Panamericana are benchmarks for academic collaboration, with the objective of continuing to educate highly qualified individuals within our country,” he declared.
A Shared Future
The leadership transition between Dr. Lourdes Martínez and Dr. Hiram Ponce, both researchers at Universidad Panamericana, marks a new stage of maturity for the Mexican scientific community.
With an ethical vision, social commitment, and academic excellence, SMIA and Universidad Panamericana continue to guide the advancement of artificial intelligence in Mexico and Latin America.
