IMF praises economic growth derived from AI
Bangkok, Oct 17 (EFE).-
The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, on Saturday praised the economic growth derived from artificial intelligence (AI) while calling for management of its risks.
In a press conference in Bangkok in the context of the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, Georgieva stressed that the decisions that global authorities adopt regarding AI will set the path for the technology.
“We want the benefits from AI, but we also want to manage the risks; we want protective mechanisms for people and, ultimately, for the future of nations,” the economist said.
According to the IMF, investment in AI will sustain global economic growth in 2026, standing at 3.1 percent, cushioning the impact of the war in the Middle East.
“We acknowledged that the AI ​​boom is the primary driver of growth, but it also presents a risk; relying on a single fundamental engine of growth is like standing on one leg,” the IMF head added.
The highest-level meetings of the forum concluded on Friday, while advisory and organizational meetings are being held over the weekend, such as the meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), the main advisory body of the IMF Board of Governors.
“The global economy has weathered the latest in a series of shocks better than expected, but continued resilience should not be taken for granted. Wars and conflicts continue to impose a heavy humanitarian toll, with large economic costs and significant negative spillovers, impacting the poorest and most vulnerable countries the hardest,” Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister and IMFC Chair, Mohammed Aljadaan, said on Saturday.
Among her takeaways from the meeting, Georgieva spoke of optimism for the resilience of the global economy, the promise of AI, and the dynamism of Asia, but she also acknowledged AI as a source of concern along with inflation, high debt levels, wars, and climate risks.
The risk of an increase in cyberattacks -accelerated and cheaper due to the use of AI- and scams through the use of new technologies, are part of the problems exposed in the meetings.
During the meeting in the Thai capital, the “Bangkok Plan” was presented, a global initiative jointly developed by the IMF, the World Bank, and the government of Thailand that establishes a framework to combat scams, digital financial fraud, and cross-border cybercrime.
“It is a step toward a safer, more responsible, and more inclusive framework for digital finance,” acknowledged the Bulgarian economist, emphasizing the importance of everyone being in the same boat in the face of new technological risks. EFE
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