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THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN PROMOTING GENDER-INCLUSIVE INNOVATION IN COLOMBIAN SMES

Catalina Valentina Herrera Muñoz
Published 11 April 2026
Vol. 14, No. 2 (2026)
pp. 24-41
CC BY 4.0
  1. 1
    Catalina Valentina Herrera Muñoz
    Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology, Universidad Del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia
    CO

This study analyzes the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Colombian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as a process of social innovation. Using exploratory quantitative methodology, a validated survey was administered to 945 SMEs across eight cities, examining sociodemographic, motivational, and organizational variables. The observed patterns show a technological democratization process: 36.4% of SMEs use AI with equitable gender distribution (women 47.3%, men 48.8%, p=0.53), indicating reduction of historical digital divides in the study group. The key democratization factors identified were accessibility (59%) and perceived usefulness (51%), with high penetration in microenterprises (52.9%). Technological dependence was associated with organizational factors (exposure time ρ=0.296, p<0.01; digital maturity) rather than demographic characteristics, suggesting responsible management through universal policies. Results suggest that equitable AI adoption may represent significant social innovation that democratizes technological access and reduces competitive inequalities, although non-probability sampling limitations restrict generalization of results beyond the analyzed enterprises

JournalCurrent Research and Innovations Journal
ISSN3065-0712
Volume / IssueVol. 14, No. 2 (2026)
Pages24-41
Published11 April 2026
DOI10.5281/zenodo.19691218
Access Open Access
LicenseCC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution
PublisherKeith Publications
Muñoz, C. (2026). THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN PROMOTING GENDER-INCLUSIVE INNOVATION IN COLOMBIAN SMES. Current Research and Innovations Journal, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 24-41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19691218

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