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

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.