DHL Globalization Tracker: AI products boost global trade 4.6% 2026
Global trade in goods is set to jump by 4.6% in 2026, thanks mostly to the huge demand for AI-related products, says the DHL Globalization Tracker.
That's even higher than earlier predictions. In fact, AI-enabling tech made up over three-quarters of all trade growth early this year, showing just how much these products are driving things forward.
AI gear demand sustains global exports
Even with U.S.-China trade tensions and worldwide uncertainty, the appetite for AI gear is helping keep exports strong.
US imports from China dropped 16%, but China's exports expanded even faster than the global average and are finding markets other than the US to sell to.
Plus, places like Taiwan, Vietnam, and South Korea are shipping more goods to the US too.
Experts think annual goods trade growth averaging 3.45% through 2029, though the pace slows over the next three years: proof that global trade can adapt and stay resilient no matter what's happening in the world.