WTO Chief Warns AI Boom Obscuring Global Trade Disruptions

The head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) cautioned that the rapid growth in trade of AI-related products is masking the negative impacts of tariffs and other trade upheavals. Trade in 'AI-enabling' goods grew 42 percent in the first quarter of 2026, but the benefits are concentrated, with Asia accounting for over 60 percent of this trade in 2025 and North America for 76 percent of global venture capital, highlighting uneven distribution and the need for greater multilateral cooperation.