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International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks at the Small AI, Real Jobs forum during the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.
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The International Monetary Fund has slightly upgraded its outlook for the world economy for this year, but it's forecasting growth at a still sluggish 3.1%. Growth in 2025 was 3.5%. Its update released Tuesday says the boom in artificial intelligence is offsetting damage from sharply higher prices for oil and gas due to the Iran war. But it notes that benefits of the AI boom are increasingly concentrated in a few countries, adding to risks. The IMF's Economic Outlook says the U.S. economy will grow at a 2.3% rate in 2026 and 2027. The IMF said it now expects oil prices to be up nearly 41% this year and global inflation to accelerate to 4.7% in 2026.
