World Trade Organisation Report: Artificial Intelligence Expected to Significantly Drive Global Trade Growth

The World Trade Organization released the "World Trade in 2025" report on the 17th, predicting that with the right policy support, the application of artificial intelligence is expected to drive global trade growth by nearly 40% by 2040. The report shows that by 2040, artificial intelligence is expected to significantly boost global trade and GDP growth. Depending on the differences in policy and technological progress, global trade volume is expected to increase by 34% to 37% in different scenarios, while global GDP is expected to grow by 12% to 13%. Director-General of the WTO, Iwela, stated in the report's preface that artificial intelligence has enormous potential in reducing trade costs and improving productivity; however, the ability of different economies to access AI technology and participate in digital trade remains highly uneven. The report emphasizes that trade can help economies access AI and the inputs needed for its development, promote innovation diffusion, and open up new development paths. However, to harness this potential, conscious action must be taken by all parties, including bridging the digital divide and promoting regulatory consistency.