IMF Chief Warns AI Could Increase Global Economic Divergence

IMF Chief Warns AI Could Increase Global Economic Divergence
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The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, warned that while Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to significantly boost productivity, it could also become a major source of economic divergence within and across countries, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Speaking at a press briefing during the 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the IMF in Washington, D.C., Georgieva acknowledged the “incredible optimism” surrounding the AI investment boom. She projected that AI could contribute between 0.1% and 0.8% to global growth, which she termed “significant.”

However, she emphasized the risk posed by unequal adoption of the technology. The IMF’s own AI preparedness index—which ranks countries based on factors like digital infrastructure and labor market skills—shows a “very big distribution from the best to the laggers.”

Georgieva stated that this inequality means the world could see a rise in overall productivity that simultaneously widens the gap between prepared and unprepared nations and populations. She stressed that preparedness “really matters” to mitigate this risk.

The IMF chief also unveiled the Global Policy Agenda, prioritizing three goals: unlocking private sector growth, rebuilding fiscal space and reducing debt, and reducing global imbalances.