The Next Phase of the AI Revolution: Why Companies Are Turning to Latin America for Top Talent

In a surprising trend, tech companies are turning to Latin America to find developer talent, particularly for post-training AI models. Despite the shift back to in-person work, companies are seeking experts in the region to help with the next phase of the AI revolution.

According to Revelo, a full-stack platform of vetted developers in Latin America, demand for engineers has surged in recent months. The company’s CEO, Lucas Mendes, told TechCrunch that this surge is driven by the need for expert human data to help Large Language Models (LLMs) perform better at specific high-value tasks.

Mendes explained that coding is one of the tasks where LLMs require human expertise. Companies are looking for developers who can provide high-quality data to help improve their LLMs. In 2024, LLM training hires accounted for 22% of Revelo’s revenue.

Revelo has over 400,000 developers on its platform and facilitates the hiring and payment process for its U.S. customers. The company is supplying workers to major enterprises like Intuit, Oracle, and Dell, as well as nearly every major hyperscale AI provider.

Nearshoring vs. Offshoring

Mendes believes that the demand for Revelo’s talent has remained despite the shift back to in-person work because these developers fall into the “nearshoring” category of workers outside the U.S. This means that they are located in the same time zones as their client companies, making it easier to collaborate.

Revelo has acquired five other competitors focused on LatAm talent in the last 30 months, including Alto and Paretisa. Mendes said that the company is building a global talent backbone for the age of AI and expects to make more acquisitions in the future.

A New Era for Remote Work

While the rise of distributed and remote work has largely started to fade, Revelo has managed to keep growing. Mendes joked that he hates to be the guy that goes against the buzz, but the demand for their LatAm talent has not diminished.

As the demand for AI talent continues to grow, Revelo is poised to play a significant role in connecting U.S. companies with experts in Latin America. With its network of vetted developers and expanding reach, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend.