Who exactly benefits from the US AI data centre boom?
Electronics exports and tech supply chains strengthen across Asia and Mexico driven by rising AI investment
The ongoing intense AI data centre investment in the US is providing material international spillovers to Asian electronics producers, with Mexico also benefitting. Our baseline for sustained robustness in AI data centre investment means AI-related electronics production will continue to provide crucial tailwinds for Asian economies in 2026.
Our input-output table analysis reveals that US data centre investment generates significant international spillovers via electronics imports, with the largest effects observed in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Mexico.
Trade data and information on Asian tech supply chains point to further spillovers in the region, with Taiwan at the centre of these networks. The complexity of these tech supply chain also means that neighbouring economies, such as South Korea, capture additional benefits.
Significant investment into US AI data centres has been providing crucial tailwinds for these Asian economies through electronics exports. Although we forecast export growth to moderate this year, electronics production will nonetheless remain a major pillar for these economies.
