If we want ensure that AI in the upcoming years is a positive factor of the development of Latin America we need to start acting now and stop doing the same thing over and over again. The recent past and the current context in the region clearly indicates that it is unlikely that we see any improvements in the resources and support that AI has, instead, it will probably be aggravated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, it is our role as researchers to visit this issue and attempt to propose a road map towards a solution. The driving motivation for this paper is to plant the seeds of a discussion on how to create a bottom-up and inclusive positive momentum for AI in the region, given the existing conditions, while, at the same time, reducing the potential negative impacts that it might have. We present this in the form of a roadmap or workflow that identifies the main obstacles that should be addressed and how they can be overcome by a combination focusing the work AI practitioners on particular research topics and that of decision markers and concern citizens.