直击世贸组织公共论坛|人工智能助力国际贸易额 也要重视机会平等

Core Insights - The 2025 WTO Public Forum commenced with 4,200 participants and 350 speakers, focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on global trade [1] - WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted the potential of AI amidst current trade and economic challenges, emphasizing its transformative capabilities [1][3] Group 1: AI and Global Trade - AI is reshaping economies and societies, with the potential to change production, consumption, and trade methods, but it raises questions about equitable opportunities and the risk of increasing inequality [3] - The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) noted that internet access remains a scarcity in many regions, with Africa having only 2% of global data centers despite housing 20% of the world's population [3][5] Group 2: Case Studies and Challenges - Examples of AI benefiting small businesses include a honey workshop in Niue using technology for weather predictions and a Filipino slipper company improving customs compliance through tech tools [5] - The founder of Afriborder pointed out that Africa's digital trade is significantly lower than Europe, with infrastructure and data accessibility being major challenges [5][6] Group 3: Economic Projections and Support - Okonjo-Iweala projected that AI could increase the total value of goods and services exports by 40% by 2040, but income growth from AI in low-income economies is only 8%, compared to double-digit growth in high-income countries [6] - The WTO is enhancing technical support and collaborating with the World Bank to upgrade the necessary hardware and software for digital trade in Africa [6]