United States, 27 October 2026 – World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said capital remained available despite concerns that heavy investment in artificial intelligence is pushing borrowing costs higher. He cited US$112 billion in private capital mobilised by the World Bank Group last year, about three times the level recorded three years earlier, and said emerging markets were not facing the same hesitation around funding as some large AI projects in developed economies.
The distinction matters to Asian businesses and investors because financing conditions are not uniform across sectors or countries. Banga described emerging-market needs as more focused on infrastructure and smaller-scale AI, while developed economies are seeking funds for larger AI use cases. His comments are an assessment of capital availability, not a promise that every project can secure funding; for investors, project readiness, commercial returns and risk allocation still matter.
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