Overview

• WTO simulations project cross‑border trade could rise by up to 40% by 2040 in economies that scale AI adoption.
• A survey with the International Chamber of Commerce finds 90% of firms using AI report trade‑related gains, with smaller businesses expressing strong optimism.
• Trade in AI‑enabling goods such as critical minerals and semiconductors reached $2.3 trillion in 2023, underscoring access needs for lower‑income economies.
• The share of goods traded under most‑favored‑nation rules has fallen to about 72% this year, a slide linked in part to unilateral U.S. tariffs, yet WTO leaders say the core framework endures.
• WTO leadership highlights alternative dispute channels like mediation and arbitration and urges member‑driven reforms to be advanced ahead of the March ministerial.