SINOLINK SECURITIES(SH:600109) 雪涛宏观笔记·2026-02-08 16:03Core Viewpoint - AI has become an indispensable part of global trade, with China being the largest exporter of AI products and the U.S. leading in AI investment, which directly impacts the export dynamics of China [1][2][23]. Group 1: AI Investment and Economic Impact - AI investment has significantly contributed to the U.S. economy, boosting the actual GDP growth rate by 0.8 percentage points in the first three quarters of 2025, making it a crucial growth engine [4]. - By mid-2025, AI investment in the U.S. is projected to account for 5% of GDP, surpassing the peak levels seen during the "dot-com bubble" in 2000 [4]. - Global AI spending is estimated to reach $1.8 trillion in 2025 and expand to $2.5 trillion by 2026, with the IMF forecasting a global economic growth rate of 3.3% in 2026 due to the AI investment boom [4]. Group 2: AI Trade Growth - AI-related trade is experiencing rapid growth, with a projected year-on-year increase of 21.7% in the second quarter of 2025, significantly outpacing the 4.2% growth of non-AI related trade [6]. - AI-related products are expected to constitute 15% of global trade by 2025, contributing over 40% to the overall growth of global merchandise trade [6]. - The WTO estimates that by 2040, global trade volume will increase by 34%-37% compared to 2025, with global GDP rising by 12%-13% due to the diffusion of AI technology and related trade [6]. Group 3: AI Product Categories and Trade Dynamics - The AI industry chain consists of five layers: hardware, cloud computing, data, models, and applications, with trade primarily focused on the hardware layer [9]. - The narrow definition of AI-related trade encompasses 104 categories, while a broader definition includes 138 categories, covering raw materials, intermediate goods, and equipment [9]. - In 2024, the narrow AI product trade is projected to reach $3.3 trillion, accounting for 13.6% of global trade, with a year-on-year growth of 10.2% [10]. Group 4: Regional Trade Insights - Major exporters of AI-related products include mainland China, the EU, ASEAN, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the U.S., collectively accounting for 91% of global AI trade [14]. - In the first three quarters of 2025, mainland China's AI-related product exports totaled $840.7 billion, representing 22% of its total exports, with a year-on-year growth of 10.9% [18]. - The export growth of AI-related products in regions like Taiwan and Hong Kong has significantly outpaced other goods, indicating the dominant role of AI trade in regional export performance [14]. Group 5: Future Outlook and Challenges - The U.S. has increased tariffs on AI-related imports from China to 40%, which may lead to a decline in direct trade, pushing some exports through intermediaries like Hong Kong and ASEAN [21]. - The sustainability of U.S. AI investment is critical, as historical trends show that declines in investment can lead to significant drops in GDP growth, affecting both AI and non-AI related trade [26].