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IMF says AI investment keeps global growth around 3%, with major Asia benefits

By Thomson Reuters Oct 11, 2026 | 10:50 PM

BANGKOK, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Strong investment in AI infrastructure is keeping global ​growth at around 3%, ‌yielding major benefits for many Asian economies that supply the hardware, such as Thailand, ‌said ​Kristalina Georgieva, managing ⁠director of the ⁠International Monetary Fund.

The artificial intelligence investment boom was a “demand shock, an investment shock” ​that could boost growth in advanced regional ⁠economies by a ⁠half to one ​full percentage point, and emerging ​Asian economies by 0.2 to ‌0.8 percentage point, she said.

“So 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,” Georgieva ​told IMF ⁠and World Bank annual meetings in the Thai capital.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Lawder; Editing by ​Clarence Fernandez)