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IMF chief says AI investment is supporting growth despite energy shock

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva says artificial-intelligence infrastructure spending is helping sustain global growth around 3%, with benefits for Asian suppliers. Her estimates are potential effects, not guarantees. An updated IMF outlook is due on 13 October and is not included here.

From 13 October 2026 — Daily Brief

Investment in artificial-intelligence infrastructure is helping keep global growth at around 3% despite an energy-supply shock, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said on 12 October.

Speaking at the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, she highlighted benefits for Asian economies supplying hardware and equipment for the investment boom, including Thailand.

Georgieva said the surge could add between half and one percentage point to growth in advanced Asian economies, and between 0.2 and 0.8 percentage point in emerging Asian economies.

Those figures describe possible additions to growth, measured in percentage points. They are not forecasts that every economy will grow by the same amount, nor do they represent a country-specific projection for Bangladesh.

The IMF’s July forecast put 2026 global growth at 3%. An updated outlook is due on 13 October; these remarks precede that release and should not be presented as its newly published forecast.

Source: Reuters via The Daily Star, 12 October 2026.

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