Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Human Talent Management among SMEs in Emerging Economies: Evidence from Ecuador

This study analyzes the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Talent Management (HTM) among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using Ecuador as the empirical case and articulating the results with evidence reported for other emerging economies in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.Despite accelerated global technological advancement, SMEs in emerging economies face structural, financial, and human capital barriers that constrain digital transformation.Drawing on the integration of the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) and Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) frameworks, the study adopts a quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive design with a comparative discussion, based on a sample of 250 Ecuadorian SMEs.Data were collected through a validated Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).The findings indicate a moderate level of AI adoption (M = 2.94) and no statistically significant differences by firm size or sector.The AMO construct exhibited the strongest direct effect ( = 0.52) and a partial mediating role between TOE dimensions and AI adoption, explaining 63% of the variance (R = 0.63).Although AMO scores are relatively low, their variability explains adoption differences, underscoring the central role of competencies, motivation, and organizational opportunities in fostering inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.