South Summit 2025: Beyond Automation: AI and Robotics for Social Purpose
The South Summit 2025 closed its edition with a clear message: innovation must serve a purpose. During three intense days, the event not only offered a look at the technological future, but also a space for reflection, among other things, on the real impact of these solutions on society.
Day 1: AI and Robotics with a Human Eye
The first day brought to the table some of the most pressing issues of our time: not only where technology is advancing, but also for what purpose it is doing so. Through a round table focused on artificial intelligence, robotics and their capacity for transformation, they highlighted two interventions that invited us to go beyond technical fascination. On the one hand, that of engineer Dennis Hong, an expert in humanoid robotics, and that of Dorothy Chou, a specialist in technological ethics.
“This technology must go beyond automation and really help society,” Chou said.
A statement that summarizes the spirit of the debate and sets out a demand: to provide innovation with ethical, humane and responsible direction.
The applications presented, such as assistance for the elderly or support for medical rehabilitation, generate hope, but also questions. Are we designing technology to solve human problems or simply to impress? In this scenario, the challenge is no longer just technical, but profoundly social.
Day 2: Accessibility as an Engine of Opportunity
The second day broadened the focus to a key aspect: inclusion. Argentinian entrepreneur Mateo Salvatto, founder of Asteroid Technologies, offered a powerful intervention on the role of technology in improving accessibility.
“Now is the time to bet on accessibility, not only because of its social impact, but because it represents a great business opportunity.”
His message resonates strongly in an environment where accessibility is still considered as an optional add-on. Salvatto recalled that generating social impact and building solid business models are not opposing paths. In fact, betting on accessible solutions is a tangible way of expanding markets, solving real needs and building a more equitable future.
His vision connects directly with the reflection already started on the first day: innovation is not complete if it leaves people out of their benefits. Integrating accessibility into the design is an ethical duty, but also a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing economy.
Day 3: A Forward-Looking Closure
The last day served as a space for celebration, balance and momentum. With more than 20,000 attendees from 134 countries, the South Summit brought together more than 7,500 startups, 5,000 corporations, 2,100 investors with 580 billion dollars under management and more than 700 Speakers. These numbers give an account of the magnitude of the event, but that only make sense when understood as a reflection of something deeper.
The real impact of an encounter like this is not only in the metrics, but in the connections, in the ideas that are shared and in the alliances that are beginning to take shape. That's where innovation comes to life.
Innovating with purpose: a collective challenge for the startup ecosystem
Throughout these three days, the South Summit has offered inspiration, success stories and ambitious projections. But he has also made it clear that the legitimacy of technology today depends on its social impact. Artificial intelligence, robotics or accessibility cannot be developed regardless of ethical questions: for what? For whom? With what consequences?
Because perhaps the real breakthrough is not a robot that walks like a human, but a society that, by creating that robot, thinks about how it can help those who need it most. And perhaps the best technology isn't the most complex, but the one that opens doors instead of closing them.
