IMF warns AI boom faces costly energy and rising public debt
IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva says AI investment, expensive energy and mounting government debt are pulling the world economy in different directions. AI-related hardware already accounts for more than a tenth of goods trade, she said, but the gains are concentrated in relatively few economies.
Three forces shaping the outlook
Speaking on 7 October ahead of the IMF Annual Meetings, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva pointed to rapid AI growth, high energy costs and record public debt. According to figures in her speech, AI hardware and related technology products now account for more than a tenth of world goods trade.
The IMF sees potential: with the right conditions, AI could eventually add up to half a percentage point to annual global growth. This is a conditional estimate, not a guaranteed forecast. Georgieva also warned that the benefits are concentrated in relatively few countries and firms.
Why the gains may be uneven
She described oil around $100 per barrel and risks of further pressure on fuel prices. The IMF expects global public debt to exceed 100% of world GDP in the near future. Higher interest costs make that burden harder to bear, especially for countries with limited public revenue.
For Kazakhstan, the speech is not a ready-made forecast for the tenge or household prices. It sets a global context in which diversification, energy resilience and workforce skills matter. Local outcomes will depend on policy and new evidence.
Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2026/10/07/sp100726-2026-annual-meetings-curtain-raiser
Cover image: a thematic illustration, not a photograph of the reported event.
If you have found a mistake or a typo in this article, tell us about it
Comments (0)
Log in to leave a comment →
No comments yet. Be the first.