The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2026 global growth projection to 3.1% during its annual meetings, ticking up slightly from prior estimates. The report highlights a “split” global economy, where heavy spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure acts as a powerful offset against energy shocks from the ongoing Middle East conflict. Countries deeply integrated into the AI hardware supply chain such as South Korea, Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia are seeing significant economic outperformance. Despite the overall resilience, global headline inflation is projected to climb to 4.7% in 2026, driven by persistent geopolitical strains on oil and commodity markets.The IMF cautioned that risks remain firmly tilted to the downside, warning policymakers about the dangers of a potential AI investment bubble, rising sovereign debt, and shrinking emergency energy reserves.

Full report : In its latest World Economic Outlook unveiled in Bangkok, the IMF reports that AI is providing tailwind for the growth.