IMF Says AI Boom Boosted Global Trade Growth, Benefiting China and India

Strong demand for artificial intelligence has boosted trade growth in China, India and other Asian economies, IMF chief economist Silvana Tenreyro said on October 13, 2026. Speaking at the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok, she said AI-related trade had expanded faster than global trade overall. Without the AI-driven boost, she said, worldwide trade would have grown much more slowly. Tenreyro also warned about high public debt, urging governments to reduce deficits and central banks to keep inflation-fighting policies restrictive