[IMF Warns of Expanding Reliance on AI Debt Financing: Global Investment May Exceed $2 Trillion by 2026] The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cited external estimates in its latest annual report, indicating that global artificial intelligence (AI) investments, primarily driven by the private sector, could surpass $2 trillion this year, becoming one of the strongest drivers of economic growth in recent years. The report notes that AI-related technology investments are estimated to boost U.S. GDP growth by 0.5 percentage points by 2025. Additionally, the acceleration in U.S. productivity growth in recent years partially reflects the early positive impacts of AI applications. However, the report also issues a warning, highlighting potential risks behind the AI investment boom. As the scale of related infrastructure and projects continues to expand, some high-cost investments are increasingly reliant on debt financing. If future returns fail to meet expectations, it could trigger significant asset valuation adjustments, wealth shrinkage, and corporate layoffs, among other cascading effects.