Chief Economists Outlook May 2025

29Chief Economists Outlook When asked to identify the key channels through which AI will boost global GDP growth, over two-thirds (68%) of respondents cited automation of tasks. While previous technological revolutions unlocked the automation of manufacturing, AI has the potential to do the same for knowledge-driven fields.71 In parallel, AI will also augment many workers, and this was cited by 49% of chief economists as a driver of growth. In many industries, automation and augmentation go hand in hand, with automation allowing workers to shift their attention to higher-value tasks.72 Figure 29. AI growth impact channels Through which channels do you expect AI to have the most significant positive impact on global GDP growth? (select the top 3) Automation of tasks Faster innovation Worker augmentation Increased AI-related investment Creation of new markets Reallocation of labour to new types of work Increased market efficiency Knowledge transfer between countries Percent of respondents (%)68 62 49 41 32 24 19 5 Source: Chief Economists Survey. (2025, April). Faster innovation ranked second among the AI growth channels, being cited by 62% of chief economists surveyed. There is mounting evidence of impressive scientific contributions involving AI, such as the work of Google DeepMind researchers being awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for advances in protein science,73 or OpenAI’s Deep Research producing scientific papers at a postdoctoral level.74 For the time being, at least, many of these advances remain upstream from concrete economic impact, but they nevertheless point to transformative potential. If AI can supercharge the innovation process, this form of augmentation may be the most powerful in terms of driving growth. It has been suggested that the world is entering an era where the ideas that will unlock new sources of growth are likely to be generated by machines rather than humans.75 71 World Economic Forum. (2025d). 72 World Economic Forum. (2025e). 73 Peel, M. & Murgia, M. (2024).74 The Economist. (2025l). 75 Susskind, D. (2024).