In the fast-evolving digital landscape, where cryptocurrency and blockchain innovations are constantly pushing boundaries, the underlying demand for skilled technology professionals remains critical. While some companies are emphasizing a return to the office, a significant trend is emerging: US businesses are increasingly looking south, specifically to Latin America, to find the specialized tech talent they need. This is particularly true in the booming field of artificial intelligence, creating exciting opportunities for LatAm tech talent . Why is Demand Surging for LatAm Tech Talent? Revelo, a platform connecting vetted Latin American developers with US companies, is experiencing this surge firsthand. Lucas Mendes, Revelo’s co-founder and CEO, notes a significant uptick in demand for engineers capable of assisting with the post-training phase of large language models (LLMs). This phase is crucial for refining AI models to perform specific, high-value tasks effectively. Mendes explains, “There’s a race for data, and especially expert human data, that can actually help LLMs be better at very specific high-value tasks.” Coding is a prime example. Companies building foundational AI models require expert engineers to provide the human data needed to improve LLM coding capabilities. This specific need for AI training expertise is a major driver. The Critical Role of AI Training The need for expert human input in AI model refinement cannot be overstated. While AI can generate code, human developers provide the nuanced feedback, corrections, and specific examples needed to make LLMs truly proficient and reliable for complex tasks. This post-training work is intensive and requires highly skilled individuals. According to Mendes, hires specifically for LLM training accounted for 22% of Revelo’s revenue in 2024. This highlights the substantial and growing investment US companies are making in refining their AI capabilities, and the crucial role LatAm tech talent is playing in this process. Often, companies seek experts in particular coding languages to fill specific gaps in their existing AI training efforts. Remote Developers and the Nearshoring Advantage Despite a general trend towards returning to in-person work, the demand for Revelo’s Latin American developers has remained strong. Mendes attributes this persistence to the benefits of nearshoring compared to traditional offshoring. Key advantages of hiring remote developers in Latin America include: Time Zone Alignment: Many countries in Latin America share similar time zones with the United States, facilitating real-time collaboration and communication, which is often challenging with teams in vastly different time zones. Cultural Proximity: While distinct, cultural differences are often less pronounced than with teams in more distant regions, potentially leading to smoother teamwork. Cost-Effectiveness: Accessing high-quality talent at a more competitive cost than hiring locally in expensive US tech hubs. Skill Quality: Latin America boasts a growing pool of highly educated and skilled developers, particularly in sought-after areas like AI and specific programming languages. These factors make nearshoring an attractive model, offering many benefits of remote work without the significant coordination hurdles sometimes associated with distant offshoring locations. Growth and Future Outlook for LatAm Tech Talent Revelo’s success reflects the broader market demand for remote developers and the strategic advantage of leveraging talent pools like those in Latin America. The company, founded in 2014, has grown significantly since its early focus on Brazil, expanding across LatAm and raising over $48 million in funding. The COVID-19 pandemic played a role in accelerating the adoption of distributed teams, with US companies recognizing the viability and quality of hiring engineers remotely from Latin America. This initial positive experience often led to increased demand for more talent from the region. Revelo is actively consolidating its position in the market, having acquired five competitors focused on LatAm tech talent in the last 30 months. Mendes indicates that further acquisitions are planned as they aim to build a global talent backbone for the age of AI. Major US enterprises like Intuit, Oracle, and Dell, along with nearly every major hyperscale AI provider, are among the companies utilizing Revelo’s platform to find the specialized skills they need for projects, including crucial AI training initiatives. This demonstrates the widespread recognition of the value that remote developers from Latin America bring to the table. Conclusion The demand for skilled technology professionals, particularly those with expertise in AI training and LLM refinement, is experiencing robust growth. Latin America has emerged as a key region supplying this critical tech talent to US companies. Platforms like Revelo are facilitating this connection, leveraging the benefits of nearshoring and the availability of highly capable remote developers . As AI continues to evolve, the partnership between US tech firms and LatAm tech talent is set to become even more integral to innovation. To learn more about the latest AI market trends, explore our article on key developments shaping AI features.
