Business · Economy · 12 hrs ago
IMF chief says AI investment is helping keep global growth near 3%
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said investment in AI infrastructure is helping keep global economic growth near 3%.
She spoke in Bangkok at the start of a week of meetings involving the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Asian economies that supply hardware for AI infrastructure, including Thailand, are among those benefiting.
The IMF has forecast 3% global growth for 2026 and is due to release an updated outlook on Tuesday.
Georgieva said AI could eventually change or eliminate 40% of jobs, while also changing how governments collect tax revenue.
Speakers also warned that AI could reduce opportunities for graduates and widen the gap in growth and jobs between richer and poorer economies.
The meetings continue this week, and the updated IMF outlook is the next economic assessment mentioned.
IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said investment in AI infrastructure is helping keep global growth at about 3%.
She said the investment boom is benefiting Asian economies that supply AI hardware, including Thailand.
The IMF estimates that AI could eventually augment, downgrade or eliminate 40% of jobs.
Georgieva warned that AI could have wide effects on jobs, growth, education and government tax revenue.
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam urged governments to address weaker demand for graduates’ first jobs and the risk of widening economic gaps.
- Who
- IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva.
- What
- She said strong AI infrastructure investment is helping keep global growth near 3%.
- When
- Monday, the first day of the meetings. The article was published on 12 October 2026.
- Where
- Bangkok, Thailand.
- Why
- AI investment is supporting growth despite an energy supply shock, Georgieva said.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Georgieva spoke on the first day of a week-long series of IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok.
The IMF was due to release an updated global economic outlook.
- Global growth
- About 3%
- IMF 2026 forecast
- 3% global growth, issued in July
- Potential job impact
- 40% of jobs could be augmented, downgraded or eliminated over time
- Advanced Asian economies
- AI investment could lift growth by 0.5 to 1 percentage point
- Emerging Asian economies
- AI investment could lift growth by 0.2 to 0.8 percentage points
What people are saying
That shift into higher gear is what is keeping the world economy growing at around 3%, despite the fact we are being dragged down by the energy supply shock
AI, love it, hate it. It’s already here
AI is going to widen the divergence if we are too passive about it
Sources
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