Author: Naomi Chan

The numbers look fine on paper. Global GDP is growing at 3.3% according to the IMF, the OECD pegs it at 2.9%, and the World Bank is cautiously optimistic at 2.6%. By historical standards, that’s respectable. But strip away the headline figures and what you find is an economy running on two engines that are pulling in opposite directions: artificial intelligence and trade fragmentation. One is pouring trillions into the system. The other is ripping up the wiring.That tension is the story of 2026. And if you’re running a business, it’s the one you can’t afford to ignore.The AI Gold…