IMF and World Bank Address Global Economic Risks, AI Impact, and Critical Minerals Financing at Annual Meetings

At their annual meetings in Bangkok, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned of public debt limiting governments' ability to absorb economic shocks and projected an 800-million job deficit due to artificial intelligence. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva emphasized the urgent need for guardrails to manage AI's potential risks. World Bank President Ajay Banga announced a goal to quintuple critical minerals financing to $19 billion over the fiscal 2026-2030 period, identifying 20 partner countries for development projects. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh noted the global economy's unexpected resilience but highlighted inflation spurred by energy prices from the Iran war and AI investments. The IMF also forecasted economic contraction across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan in 2026 due to ongoing conflict.