# IMF says AI investment is giving Thailand’s technology supply chain a boost

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/economics/333785-imf-says-ai-investment-is-sustaining-global-growth-giving-thailands-technology-supply-chain-a-boost
- Published: 2026-10-13T08:16:00+07:00
- Author: Abhishek Prakash

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**.

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## 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.

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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](https://www.thailand-business-news.com/economics?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

**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.