WTO Chief Economist Says AI Boom Boosts Global Trade, But Gains Uneven

World Trade Organization Chief Economist Robert Staiger said in an interview that the AI investment boom has significantly boosted global trade and strengthened its resilience to shocks such as policy shifts and shipping disruptions. However, he cautioned that the growth remains regional rather than broadly distributed across all parts of the world.

Staiger cited the WTO's World Trade Report 2026, which projects that by 2040 AI could add more than 13% to global GDP and increase world trade by 40%, with digitally delivered services seeing the strongest gains. The WTO's goods trade barometer released in July 2026 also showed that strong demand for AI-related electronic components has partly offset the negative impact of Middle East conflicts on trade.

Regarding cross-border policy spillovers from AI, Staiger said the WTO is not a specialized AI agency; its expertise lies in trade, market access and intellectual property, which are crucial to AI development. He added that the WTO will be deeply involved in shaping trade policies related to AI, but limits should be clearly recognized.

The WTO also noted in the report that as cross-border spillovers from data, subsidies, security and environmental measures expand, multilateral cooperation becomes more necessary.