If we do not make technology and science a priority, we will continue to see our human capital leave and opportunities take root in other countries. Every professional who leaves is lost human capital and a development opportunity the country lets slip away. This scenario forces us to reflect: what place do science and technology have on our national agenda? In leading countries, AI and emerging technologies are a state matter, the axis of education, a driver of competitiveness, and a priority in economic strategy. In a world where artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Industry 4.0 are steering the economy, Panama seems to have been left with an incipient, almost timid, debate on these technologies. Here, however, they seem like a distant issue or reserved for a few. Panama needs to make a qualitative leap: integrate technology specialists into legislative commissions, create advisory councils on innovation and education, and articulate state policies that drive the adoption of these technologies in companies, universities, and government. Panama is in time to turn this weakness into a competitive advantage, but the conversation must start now. The author is a specialist in emerging technologies. Scientists and specialists rarely participate in public discussions, and when the National Assembly addresses innovation issues, it does so without enough expert voices in artificial intelligence, IoT, or cybersecurity. The result is a policy vacuum that fuels a brain drain: engineers, data scientists, and AI specialists seeking abroad the opportunities they do not find here. We would become an attractive hub for multinational tech companies, we would create high-value-added jobs, and we would transform our education system into one that is globally competitive. Modernizing is not optional: it is an urgent necessity. It is not just about modernizing, but about redefining the country's development model. Let's imagine a country where the majority of the population handles at least basic concepts of artificial intelligence and data.
