A recent survey conducted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has revealed significant differences in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for trade among businesses. The study is the first to focus specifically on how companies are using AI in their trading activities.
The results show a large gap between micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and larger firms, as well as between businesses in high-income economies and those in low or lower middle-income countries. According to the survey, 66 percent of firms in high-income economies have adopted AI, compared to just 27 percent in low/lower middle-income economies.
Large firms mainly use AI for trade compliance purposes. In contrast, MSMEs tend to use AI for market intelligence and communication. Businesses from lower-income economies reported that they utilize AI to expand their international trade operations. This suggests that AI could help make global trade more inclusive by providing better access to information and tools needed for trade compliance and understanding preferential trade agreements.
Nearly 90 percent of firms already using AI said they experienced benefits related to trade activities. Of these, 22 percent reported improvements in efficiency and productivity; 14 percent saw better decision-making; 10 percent noted an expanded export base; and 17 percent widened their range of traded products. The survey also indicates that three-quarters of respondents use AI for customs-related tasks, while one-fifth employ it to identify risks associated with trade compliance.
Despite these benefits, companies highlighted several concerns regarding the adoption of AI. Regulatory uncertainty was cited as a top issue by 19 percent of respondents. Additionally, 12 percent pointed out regulatory or compliance challenges as barriers to adopting AI, while 7 percent mentioned regulatory differences across borders as a hurdle. Adapting to various data privacy requirements was identified as the most significant cross-border regulatory challenge by one-third of respondents facing such issues. Furthermore, 64 percent of businesses using AI expect at least a five-percent increase in compliance costs due to different data protection rules.
Technical challenges were also reported: 14 percent had trouble accessing high-quality data necessary for training AI systems, while another 14 percent faced difficulties due to limited expertise or skills related to AI.
The full findings are available in the report published by WTO and ICC. Some early insights were previously included in the 2025 World Trade Report.