Information technology and e-commerce
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Introduction
With the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI), and in particular generative AI – capable of generating high-quality text, images and other content based on the data on which it is trained – entered into public consciousness and has been experiencing rapid adoption.
Acknowledgements
The World Trade Report 2025 was prepared under the general responsibility and guidance of Johanna Hill, WTO Deputy Director-General, and Ralph Ossa, Chief Economist and Director of the Economic Research and Statistics Division. Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Senior Advisor to the Director-General Uyama Tomochika, and Trineesh Biswas from the Office of the Director-General provided valuable advice and guidance.
Introduction
The development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) have accelerated in the last few years, and its applications hold the potential to revolutionize human society and economic activities.
Executive summary
The widespread and transformative impact that artificial intelligence (AI) is currently having on society is being felt in all areas, from work, production and trade to health, arts and leisure activities.
AI, trade and inclusive growth: opportunities and challenges
This chapter provides a detailed economic analysis of the transformative potential of AI, focusing on its impact on trade and inclusive growth.
International cooperation to make trade and AI work for all
As trade shapes the development and deployment of AI, and AI could, in turn, reshape global trade, stronger international trade cooperation, both at the WTO and with other international organizations, is important to ensure that AI is beneficial and that the benefits of AI are more widely shared.
Executive summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to reshape the global economy.
E-commerce, Trade and the COVID-19 Pandemic
The WTO Secretariat has published a new information note looking at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected e-commerce, including the implications for cross-border trade. It notes the increased use of e-commerce as consumers adapt to lockdowns and social distancing measures and draws attention to several challenges, such as the need to bridge the digital divide within and across countries.
Digital Connectivity & E-Commerce
Digital networks are an increasingly critical component of global trade. In 2017, the Global Review of Aid for Trade highlighted the importance of accessible and affordable connections for trade connectivity. Drawing extensively on information harvested in the Monitoring and Evaluation exercise in preparation for the Review, this paper analyses aid for trade for digital connectivity and e-commerce.
A Quantitative Assessment of Electronic Commerce
This paper tries to assess quantitatively the role of electronic commerce in economic activity and in trade and tariff revenue collection. The share of value added that potentially lends itself to electronic trade represents around 30 percent of GDP, most importantly distribution, finance and business services. Electronic commerce is also likely to boost trade in many services sectors significantly. Despite the growing importance of electronic commerce for economic activity and trade, tariff revenue loss from electronic commerce is likely to be minimal. Trade in potentially digitizable media goods which currently faces a tariff in some countries represents less than one percent of total world trade. The revenue collected on these products amounts to less than one percent of total tariff revenue in most countries. Even if some of this trade moved “online”, tariff revenue loss would be only a very small share of tariff revenue.
E-commerce and Developing Country-SME Participation in Global Value Chains
Two far-reaching developments have increased the trade opportunities for SMEs in developing countries. Firstly, the rise of the internet and advances in ICT have reduced trade-related information and communication costs. Secondly, the international fragmentation of production has increased the opportunities for SMEs to specialize in narrow activities at various stages along the production chain.