IMF Says AI Investment Is Helping Sustain Global Growth at 3%

Bangkok — IMF Says AI Investment Is Helping Sustain Global Growth at 3%

Artificial intelligence investment is helping support the global economy and offset some of the pressure caused by energy supply disruptions, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said.

Speaking Monday at the opening of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Georgieva said spending on AI infrastructure was contributing to global economic growth of approximately 3%. The expansion of the technology sector is generating additional demand and investment opportunities, particularly in Asian economies that manufacture or supply the hardware needed to develop AI systems.

According to the IMF, the surge in AI investment could raise growth in advanced Asian economies by between 0.5 and 1 percentage point. Emerging Asian economies could see an increase of between 0.2 and 0.8 percentage point, Georgieva said.

Thailand, the host of this year’s meetings, is among the countries positioned to benefit from rising demand for AI-related hardware. Georgieva identified the United States, China and India as major producers within the AI supply chain, while highlighting the contribution of Asian businesses to building the infrastructure needed to support the technology.

The IMF projected global economic growth of 3% for 2026 in July. The organization was scheduled to release an updated economic outlook on Tuesday as officials convened to examine economic growth, investment prospects and financial risks.

Despite the potential economic benefits, Georgieva cautioned that AI would have significant implications for employment, education, economic development and government taxation. She characterized the technology as a gradual yet powerful force capable of transforming how economies function.

The IMF estimates that AI could augment, downgrade or eliminate 40% of jobs over time. An initial study also found that 10% of jobs in the United States already required AI skills.

Georgieva observed that routine and repetitive positions were declining, while lower-paying jobs were growing in two areas: construction and data centers.

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also raised concerns about the technology’s effects on employment. He warned that graduates could encounter fewer opportunities to obtain their first jobs as companies increasingly adopt AI tools. He called on governments to address the risk that technological advances could widen the divide between advanced and developing economies.

World Bank President Ajay Banga highlighted another potential opportunity in the form of smaller AI applications that do not rely on large language models. These tools could help improve productivity in agriculture, healthcare, education and other industries across emerging markets.

Governments face the challenge of ensuring that AI adoption delivers economic benefits while maintaining opportunities for workers. Policymakers need to determine how to equip employees with the skills required for changing jobs and prevent the technology’s gains from becoming concentrated in a small number of countries or industries.

More than 18,000 participants were expected to attend the weeklong meetings, including finance officials representing the IMF’s 191 members.

For businesses, the IMF’s assessment underscores the growing importance of AI-related investment as a driver of economic activity. However, the technology’s long-term economic impact will depend not only on investment spending and productivity improvements but also on how effectively countries prepare their workforces and institutions for technological change.