The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help reduce costs in trade, be a tool to transform supply chains, streamline customs processes and overcome trade barriers by automating logistics , highlighted the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the report Trading with intelligence: How AI influences international trade and how it influences AI .
The analysis also examines the potential of AI to boost trade in AI-related goods and services and redefine the comparative advantages of economies.
The WTO also notes the growing fragmentation of approaches to AI regulation, which could have a particular impact on business opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the WTO said in a statement.
The report says AI can help automate and streamline customs clearance and border control processes , navigate complex trade rules and compliance requirements, and predict risks.
These advances could level the playing field for developing economies and small businesses by enabling them to participate more effectively in international trade.
According to the paper, under an optimistic scenario of universal AI adoption and strong productivity gains by 2040, real world trade could increase by almost 14 percent . In contrast, under a conservative scenario of uneven AI adoption, trade is projected to increase by just 7 percent .
While high-income economies are projected to see the largest productivity gains, lower-income economies are expected to have the greatest opportunity to reduce trade costs.
The analysis also points to challenges and areas of opportunity in this area , such as the risk of a growing AI gap between high- and low-income economies , disparities between large and small companies, as well as the challenges posed by data governance and the need to ensure the reliability of AI. It also raises the need to clarify intellectual property rights.
It also stresses that a lack of coordination could lead to further regulatory fragmentation, which could hamper business opportunities. It also notes that addressing the risk of a growing AI divide is essential to seize the opportunities offered by this technology.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stressed that the analysis seeks to answer how this organization can contribute to guaranteeing the benefits of AI , as well as how the challenges posed by this tool can be addressed in a coordinated manner at a global level.
This report is relevant in the sense that the use of Artificial Intelligence in the world is increasing. According to the Statista portal , the market value of AI could exceed 300 billion dollars in 2027 , while the number of users could exceed 500 million in 2028 .
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