Cathie Wood, founder of the investment firm Ark Invest, is set to kick off El Salvador’s new Urban Centers for Welfare and Opportunities (CUBO) AI program. This public education initiative, spearheaded by the government of El Salvador, aims to bring university-level AI courses to students and professionals. The program follows the country’s successful CUBO Bitcoin (BTC) and Lightning Network developer program.

According to El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office, the CUBO AI program will leverage industry experts to provide AI education to the public. In a recent post, the office stated, “As El Salvador continues to transform into a tech and financial powerhouse, CUBO AI will equip students and professionals with the necessary tools to dominate the AI frontier.”

El Salvador has been making strides to position itself as a regional hub for innovation and investment. This includes integrating Bitcoin classes into public education, utilizing geothermal energy to mine BTC, and passing pro-crypto and AI policies. In May 2024, Cathie Wood met with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to discuss the future of digital assets and AI policy in the country. Wood left the meeting confident that El Salvador could increase its GDP tenfold over the next five years if it continues its tech-focused agenda.

In September 2024, Bukele also met with Elon Musk to discuss artificial intelligence and other 21st-century technologies, including crypto. Musk praised Bukele as “an amazing leader,” and the two continue to build rapport that could potentially lead to collaboration between the businessman and the government of El Salvador.

El Salvador’s efforts to become a regional tech hub have not gone unnoticed, as it continues to attract crypto businesses and foreign direct investment. With initiatives like the CUBO AI program, the country is positioning itself as a leader in the tech and digital finance space. As Cathie Wood stated in a recent post, “The President could scale El Salvador’s GDP 10-fold during his next 5-year term.” This forward-thinking approach is sure to bring even more success to the Central American country in the years to come.