María Paz Floría

Chilean tech pioneer who created Latin America's first AI-driven online education platform for underserved students

María Paz Floría is a Chilean innovator and founder of Aula, an AI-powered online education platform designed to democratize access to higher education in Latin America. Launched in 2015, Aula uses machine learning algorithms to personalize learning paths for students from low-income backgrounds, offering affordable courses in partnership with universities like Universidad de Chile. By 2020, the platform had enrolled over 500,000 learners across 18 countries, with a 70% completion rate compared to traditional MOOCs' average of 10-15%.

Floría's approach addresses the region's education gap caused by socioeconomic disparities and geographical isolation. Her system adapts content delivery based on individual progress, using predictive analytics to identify at-risk students and provide targeted support. In 2018, Aula partnered with UNESCO to pilot programs in rural Colombia and Peru, expanding its impact beyond Chile.

Floría has spoken at TED Talks about tech's role in education equity and was named one of Forbes Under 30 in 2017. Her work aligns with UN SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Critics praise Aula's 'human-centered AI' approach, which prioritizes empathy over automation in student-teacher interactions.