ITLA Explores Starlink And xAI Partnership In Dominican Republic

ç

The Instituto Tecnológico de las Américas (ITLA) is holding discussions with representatives linked to SpaceX, Starlink and xAI as it explores potential initiatives to expand internet connectivity and strengthen technology education in the Dominican Republic.

ITLA Rector Jimmy Rosario Bernard has led a series of meetings with Katerina Álvarez, Starlink’s Strategic Connectivity Manager, alongside representatives of xAI. The talks have focused on possible cooperation in connectivity, digital transformation and artificial intelligence education.

AI Training Among Potential Areas Of Cooperation

The latest meeting included Wilfredo Fernández, xAI’s director for the Americas of Global Government Affairs, and Gabriela Castillo Madrid, xAI’s senior manager for the Americas. Their participation expanded discussions toward possible training initiatives centered on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

One proposal under consideration is the development of large-scale AI training programs that could use Grok, xAI’s artificial intelligence platform, as a teaching support tool in classrooms and continuing education programs. The initiative would seek to help students, teachers and other participants develop practical AI skills.

The discussions remain focused on exploring potential lines of collaboration rather than announcing a finalized agreement. Any future program would depend on the terms and implementation arrangements established by the institutions involved.

Starlink Could Support Rural Connectivity

Connectivity is another area being examined, particularly in rural communities where access to reliable internet infrastructure remains a challenge. ITLA and the representatives involved are exploring whether Starlink could help extend connectivity to areas where traditional infrastructure is more difficult to deploy.

Expanding reliable internet access could also support the geographic reach of technology education, allowing training programs and digital learning resources to reach communities beyond the country’s main urban centers.

Starlink already lists the Dominican Republic among the markets covered by its service plans, providing a potential technological option for locations where conventional broadband infrastructure may be limited.

ITLA Presents Technology Training Model

During the meetings, ITLA presented its educational model and programs focused on technology inclusion, as well as employment rates that the institution says exceed 90%. Its academic offering includes fields such as cybersecurity, mechatronics, artificial intelligence and bioinformatics.

The institution has positioned these programs around skills demanded by an increasingly digital labor market. The discussions with SpaceX, Starlink and xAI therefore extend beyond connectivity alone, linking internet access with the ability of students and workers to acquire technology-related skills.

Potential Impact On Digital Skills

The proposed collaboration reflects two connected challenges for the Dominican Republic: expanding access to digital infrastructure and increasing the number of people equipped to use advanced technologies. Addressing both could broaden participation in technology-driven sectors and provide more communities with access to emerging educational tools.

xAI has already pursued an AI education initiative in El Salvador, where the company announced a partnership in 2025 to deploy Grok across more than 5,000 public schools over two years. The Dominican discussions are at an exploratory stage, but the experience provides a regional example of how AI platforms could be incorporated into education systems.

For ITLA, the current talks are centered on identifying practical ways to connect more people with technology careers, educational tools and emerging AI capabilities. The next stage will depend on whether the institutions convert the ideas discussed into formal programs or agreements.