According to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, the global surge in artificial intelligence investments is helping maintain economic growth around 3%, even amid an energy supply shock. She made these remarks in Bangkok on Monday as the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings kicked off.
She said AI infrastructure spending is generating a substantial demand and investment boost for Asian economies that manufacture the hardware underpinning the technology, including Thailand. The IMF estimates that the AI boom could add 0.5 to 1 percentage point to growth in advanced Asian economies and 0.2 to 0.8 percentage point in emerging Asian economies.
Key points
- The IMF says AI infrastructure investment is helping sustain global growth at approximately 3% in 2026.
- AI investment could add 0.2–0.8 percentage point to growth in emerging Asian economies, including economies involved in hardware supply chains.
- The IMF estimates that AI could eventually augment, downgrade or eliminate 40% of jobs, creating significant implications for employment, skills and productivity.
The remarks come as Thailand seeks to attract more investment into semiconductors, advanced electronics, data centres and other technology-related industries. Strong demand for AI computing infrastructure supports manufacturers and suppliers across Asia, creating opportunities for Thailand to expand its role in regional production networks. The benefits, however, depend on whether investment translates into new productive capacity, stronger exports and higher-value domestic employment.
The IMF also warned that AI’s consequences will extend well beyond investment and trade. Georgieva described the technology as a transformative force affecting employment, education, economic growth and government tax revenues. As businesses automate tasks and shift spending from labour towards capital, some jobs will change or disappear even as new opportunities emerge. Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam highlighted the risk that AI could reduce entry-level employment opportunities for graduates, while World Bank President Ajay Banga pointed to the potential of smaller-scale AI applications in agriculture, education and healthcare.
For Thailand, this creates a two-part policy challenge. The country needs to capture the immediate benefits of AI-related exports and foreign investment while increasing technology adoption among domestic businesses. Without better digital infrastructure, skills development and access to affordable tools, the gains could remain concentrated among large exporters while SMEs and traditional industries struggle to improve productivity. Thailand’s current flood crisis further reinforces the importance of using technology to strengthen logistics, financial services and agricultural resilience.
The IMF is scheduled to release an updated global economic outlook on Tuesday, October 13. Its assessment will help clarify how the institution weighs the benefits of AI investment against energy disruption, geopolitical uncertainty and financial-market risks.
Thailand Business News: Thailand Business News — Economics Coverage
Why it matters: AI offers Thailand a potential growth engine at a time when domestic demand and productivity remain constrained. The challenge is to convert the global investment boom into broad-based gains rather than relying solely on exports of technology-related goods. Skills, infrastructure and wider adoption by Thai businesses will determine how much lasting value the country captures.
