Global economy pulled by AI boom and Iran war energy shock

11 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 1

Recent data show AI-led investment is boosting trade, investment and consumption in some regions, while higher energy costs linked to the Iran war are restraining activity elsewhere.
The latest picture points to a widening split in global performance, with technology-heavy sectors and economies gaining momentum as energy-importing areas face rising pressure on growth.
The report highlights how two cross-border forces are increasingly shaping the outlook, leaving the world economy more dependent on both sustained AI spending and the duration of the energy shock.

As an AI boom consumes record energy, can it outgrow the global shock caused by the Iran war's crippling oil crisis?

The AI revolution promises growth, but are its massive energy and water demands creating an even bigger crisis than the current oil shock?

With AI enriching some and an energy crisis hurting others, who are the ultimate winners and losers in this divided global economy?