Artificial intelligence could help smaller businesses gain a larger role in international trade, but only if access to the technology is widened, participants at the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Forum 2026 heard.
Peng Yang, chief executive of Ant International, used a panel on investment in AI and an inclusive digital future to argue for a new phase of global economic integration. He described the proposed approach as “re-globalisation” — a model intended to spread the gains from international commerce more broadly than the previous era of globalisation.
“Achieving inclusion is critical to re-globalisation, and AI will accelerate it by democratising opportunities,” Yang said.
A persistent gap in global commerce
The argument rests on a long-standing imbalance between large corporations and smaller firms. Small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than 90% of businesses worldwide, according to the information presented at the forum, yet many struggle to enter foreign markets because they lack technology, specialised skills and other resources.
International trade also requires businesses to manage several markets, payment systems and regulatory environments. These demands have historically placed smaller companies at a disadvantage. Figures from the World Trade Organisation’s 2024 World Trade Report show that only 8% of small firms and 15% of medium-sized firms export directly, compared with 30% of large firms.
| Business category | Share exporting directly |
|---|---|
| Small firms | 8% |
| Medium-sized firms | 15% |
| Large firms | 30% |
The widening AI divide
The spread of AI has added another layer to that inequality. An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development survey conducted in 2025 found that 52% of large companies used AI, compared with 17.4% of small companies. The difference suggests that the firms most able to invest in new systems are also the ones already best positioned to compete internationally.
Yang argued that this divide does not have to become permanent. In his view, affordable and practical AI applications could help smaller businesses handle some of the administrative and operational difficulties associated with cross-border trade. The central challenge, however, is ensuring that the technology is available to firms that have traditionally lacked access to capital, expertise and international networks.
- Small and medium-sized enterprises make up more than 90% of businesses globally.
- Direct exporting remains considerably more common among large firms.
- AI use among large companies is three times the level recorded among small companies in the OECD figures cited.
Early evidence from a digital payments network
Ant International presented its own activity as an example of how digital tools could support smaller merchants. The company said it had served more than 1 million new small merchants in 54 new markets over the past three years.
It also reported that cross-border transaction volumes by small and medium-sized enterprises across its businesses had increased by about 50% a year during that period. The company said this was roughly 10 times the growth rate of total global trade. These figures describe the performance of the company’s own operations and do not represent a measure of worldwide SME trade.
The broader issue raised at the forum is whether digital connectivity and AI can reduce the structural disadvantages faced by smaller firms, rather than simply creating new advantages for companies that already have the money and skills to adopt them. For developing economies, where smaller businesses are a major part of commercial activity, the answer could influence how widely the next phase of globalisation is felt.
The discussion also points to the importance of access alongside innovation. AI systems alone cannot enable international participation if businesses remain unable to obtain reliable digital services, understand foreign markets or manage cross-border transactions. The UNCTAD forum therefore placed inclusion at the centre of the debate: the promise of AI will depend on whether it reaches smaller enterprises, not only the largest global companies.
