East Asia and Pacific Sees Steady Growth Amid Global Uncertainty (+... +... +...)

East Asia and Pacific Sees Steady Growth Amid Global Uncertainty Bold reforms in infrastructure, skills, and policy are needed to maintain growth and turn AI’s potential into jobs. WASHINGTON, October 6, 2026 — East Asia and Pacific (EAP) is projected to grow at 4.5% in 2026, demonstrating resilience in the face of global headwinds. Growth remains uneven across economies and sectors, while growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creating new opportunities, according to the latest bi-annual Economic Update for the region. The report examines both the region’s near-term economic prospects and the transformative—even if still unevenly distributed—role of AI in shaping its future workforce and economies. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/10/06/east-asia-and-pacific-holds-steady-amid-global-uncertainty-but-harnessing-ai-s-ful Riding the AI Wave In East Asia and Pacific, a global surge in AI-related activity is lifting growth in countries that participate in AI supply chains, while high energy costs are weighing on growth elsewhere, particularly in Pacific Island economies. Growth in the region is slowing, but considerably less than anticipated previously and is forecast to remain robust. The influence of AI is unmistakable in the region’s industrial sector, but it is less apparent in the rest of the economy. Like in many other emerging markets and developing economies, AI use in East Asia and Pacific is less prevalent than in advanced economies. Nevertheless, AI adoption is shaping skills demand as firms' requirements for AI-related skills are often paired with complementary analytical and soft skills. Download “Riding the AI Wave” to learn more. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/east-asia-and-pacific-economic-update East Asia & Pacific https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/region/eap