AI as Social Innovation: A Gender Perspective in Colombian SMEs

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 =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.