Mexico Becomes Eighth-Largest Exporter of AI-Enabling Goods: WTO

Mexico has become the eighth-largest exporter of goods that enable AI, with exports valued at US$100 billion in 2022, reveals the World Trade Organization (WTO). This ranking highlights the country's growing role in the global technology supply chain.

“AI has enormous potential to reduce trade costs and boost productivity, as well as to create new avenues for the production and export of services,” says Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, WTO.

In the last years, Mexico has significantly increased its participation in the sector of high-performance infrastructure and components necessary for AI cross-industry deployment. The country recently strengthened its role as the largest exporter of high technologies to the United States, reaching exports of US$66.6 billion from January to June 2025, representing a 51% year-over-year growth. The country's integration into this market reflects not only advanced manufacturing capabilities but also a strategic position in high-tech value chains.

The World Trade Report 2025, details that global trade in AI-enabling goods reached US$2.9 trillion in 2022, followed by a contraction to US$2.3 trillion in 2023. This product category includes critical inputs such as silicon dioxide, gallium, germanium, integrated electronic circuits, semiconductors, and computers, among other products.

The ranking of exporters is led by China, with a value exceeding US$700billion. It is followed by Taiwan (US$500 billion) and South Korea (nearly US$300billion). They are followed by the European Union, the United States, Japan, and Malaysia, each with about US$200 billion.

Mexico's position, with US$100 billion, establishes it as a relevant player alongside other emerging manufacturing hubs like Vietnam and Thailand. These countries have also seen an increase in their exports of intermediate inputs and equipment for AI. Although traditional powers such as the European Union, the United States, and Japan, remain major exporters, their growth in this segment has been more moderate compared to emerging economies.

Trade Dynamics and Future Outlook

Since 2012, global imports of AI-related goods have shown considerable growth, driven mainly by intermediate inputs. This segment, which accounts for the largest share of trade, grew rapidly between 2017 and 2022 before experiencing the 2023 decline. The WTO attributes this decrease to factors such as trade restrictions, regulatory changes, fluctuations in export capacity, or potential prior strategic stockpiling by nations.

WTO projections indicate that widespread AI adoption could increase trade in goods and services by nearly 40% by 2040. However, this technological advancement presents significant challenges. Okonjo-Iweala warns that "many workers, and even entire economies, could be left behind." The experience of previous decades of globalization, where benefits were not distributed equitably, serves as a precedent for the risks of exclusion.

The report's central question is whether AI will act as a catalyst for inclusive growth or if it will widen economic gaps. It suggests that trade can be a key facilitator for an inclusive AI transformation by enabling access to the technology and its inputs.

However, Okonjo-Iweala argues that "this potential can only be realized if we act deliberately, closing digital divides, investing in workers, and promoting regulatory coherence."