IMF links AI boom to an 8.3pc rise in global trade
In Bangkok, policymakers warned that IMF AI economic risks centre on a growth hit if spending on data centres and chips slows, even as AI has lifted recent trade.
Officials at the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok said the AI boom has driven growth but carries risks if investment falters.
The IMF said AI spending on data centres and microchips helped cushion the shock of higher global energy prices linked to war in the Middle East.
Chief economist Silvana Tenreyro said global trade rose 8.3% between 2023 and 2025, versus about 4.6% without AI-related products.
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said AI is visible in GDP, stocks and bonds and is “just the beginning”.
US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh called AI hugely beneficial but warned the road ahead would be “bumpy”.