New economy will be shaped by accelerating AI adoption: WEF

(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Apr, 2026) GENEVA, 17th April, 2026 (WAM) – As the growth strategies that powered the global economy over the past three decades lose relevance, a new World Economic Forum (WEF) report calls for a renewed blueprint to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by AI, geostrategic competition, rising debt and inequality, and mounting environmental and demographic pressures.

The report draws on two years of dialogue with nearly 200 global business leaders, policy-makers and experts, and a survey of more than 11,000 executives worldwide.

Across four major areas of economic policy, Growth in the New Economy: Towards a Blueprint identifies key “no-regret” strategies and open dilemmas for governments and businesses that will define economic policy in the coming decade:

“The current context demands bold choices and trade-offs from government and businesses. Investing in productivity, talent and reinforcing the fundamentals of economic policy are clear winning strategies that hold across every country and income level,” said Attilio Di Battista, Head of Economic Growth and Transformation, World Economic Forum. “Yet, leaders will need to navigate complex dilemmas while managing record levels of debt and inequalities, rising geostrategic competition, a persisting climate crisis and the fastest technological shift in a generation.

Amid disruptions brought by the current conflict in the middle East, the report points to long-term shifts in the composition and drivers of economic growth.

Middle-income economies are expected to account for nearly two-thirds of global GDP growth through 2030. Regionally, Asia will continue to be the main driver of growth, accounting for more than 50% of global growth. Despite registering the fastest growth rates, low-income economies are projected to contribute just 1% of global growth over the same period.

Information technology services, advanced manufacturing, health and healthcare, and accommodation and leisure sectors are expected to drive growth over the next five years, with Asia, Europe and North America as key hotspots. Latin America and the Caribbean will see opportunities in the agriculture, mining and metals sectors.

Based on the results of the recent survey of 11,000 business leaders, the report highlights high energy costs and policy instability as the two barriers that are constraining an acceleration of economic growth across various geographies and income levels.

Other barriers vary by country income level. In high-income economies, skill shortages and rigid regulations are seen as the top barriers, while in low-income economies, limited access to finance and inadequate infrastructure were top concerns.

In the long-term, frontier technologies and the green and energy transition are identified as trends that will drive growth and investment, while high debt, societal polarization and climate change are seen as potential headwinds across regions and income levels.