WTO Urges Global Trade Push to Spread AI Benefits Worldwide by 2040

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Hill emphasised the importance of leveraging the multilateral trading system to ensure that AI goods and services are accessible to countries across the globe.

"We see that trade is a vehicle that can facilitate the diffusion of AI, of AI technology. And therefore, we are urging members to use the multilateral trading system so that these AI goods and services can be broadly received in the rest of the world," she said.

Hill also pointed out that realising these opportunities requires investments in skills development and digital infrastructure.

"At the conference, you heard many talk about the need for skills development and to invest in digital infrastructure. These are the areas that are needed. In the international organisation space, we are working together with partners like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank so that together we can bring these opportunities to fruition," she added.

On the potential impact of AI on the global economy, Hill cited a WTO study which projects that under the right conditions, trade in both goods and services could grow by nearly 40 per cent by 2040.

She stressed that the right infrastructure and skills must be in place for more countries to benefit from these opportunities.

Addressing concerns about jobs, Hill said the study also examines the types of roles and skills that will be required in an AI-driven economy.

"We look at the issue of jobs, the type of jobs that are going to be needed, the skills that are going to be needed, and the importance of investing now and not waiting," she noted.

The WTO Deputy DG's remarks underscore the significance of multilateral cooperation, trade, and skill development in ensuring that AI contributes to inclusive economic growth and global development.

India hosted the 5-day long AI Impact Summit 2026 that began on February 16. It is anchored in three foundational pillars, or 'Sutras': People, Planet and Progress.

The first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South, reflects on the transformative potential of AI aligning with the national vision of "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya" (welfare for all, happiness for all) and the global principle of AI for Humanity.

This summit is part of an evolving international process aimed at strengthening global cooperation on the governance, safety and societal impact of AI.

- ANI