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AI’s Economic Benefits Surpass Emissions Concerns According to IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recently highlighted the potential economic benefits of artificial intelligence (AI), projecting a global output boost of approximately 0.5% per year from 2025 to 2030. This growth is expected to surpass the environmental costs associated with higher carbon emissions from AI-driven data centers.

The report, showcased at the IMF’s spring meeting, emphasizes the need for equitable distribution of these economic gains while managing the adverse effects on our climate. The forecast indicates that AI’s contribution to GDP growth will outweigh the financial impacts of emissions, though it points out the necessity for policymakers and businesses to mitigate societal costs.

Energy Demands and Environmental Footprint

AI is set to escalate global electricity demand, potentially reaching 1,500 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030, mirroring the energy consumption of countries like India today.

The increasing demand for data processing capacity could result in higher greenhouse gas emissions, but the AI industry aims to offset these with advancements in renewable energy technologies.

AI: A Driver for Energy Efficiency?

Analysts suggest that AI could potentially reduce carbon emissions through improved energy efficiency, fostering advancements in low-carbon technologies across sectors such as power, food, and transport. Grantham Research Institute stresses the significance of strategic action from governments and industries to facilitate this transition.

The role of AI in the global economy continues to evolve, stirring debates not only about its economic potential but also its environmental impact.

Cyprus Tech Firm To Bring AI Retail Agents To Jakarta

Cyprus-based technology company Powersoft365 will showcase eight AI agents for the apparel, fashion and retail sectors at the Indonesia Retail Summit & Expo 2026 in Jakarta on August 26–27.

The company’s appearance comes just weeks after it joined a Cyprus business mission to Southeast Asia led by Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides. During that visit, Powersoft365 explored Indonesia’s technology ecosystem and potential opportunities for international cooperation.

Eight AI Agents For Retail

At booths i6 and i7, retailers, fashion groups, distributors and technology partners will be able to see Powersoft365’s AI Retail Operating Platform in operation.

The platform connects specialised AI agents with existing enterprise resource planning, point-of-sale, warehouse and e-commerce systems. The technology can analyse business data, forecast demand, recommend actions and automate selected processes.

Among the solutions on display will be ASR, an AI-powered stock replenishment tool that analyses sales and inventory and recommends product transfers between stores. The AI Data Analyst allows managers to query business data using natural language, while the AI Forecasting Agent supports purchasing and inventory planning.

The company will also demonstrate an AI POS Selling Assistant for sales recommendations and cross-selling, an AI Social Media Manager for content and campaigns, and an AI Virtual Try-On service for digital garment fitting.

Other solutions include ApparelBridge, which brings together product information from different suppliers, and an AI Stylist designed to match products with customer preferences.

From Retail Software To AI

Powersoft365 has more than 30 years of experience developing technology for clothing, footwear and fashion businesses, including retailers, chains, franchises and wholesalers.

Its ModaPro platform focuses on fashion-specific requirements such as size and colour matrices, multi-store inventory and real-time stock management. The company is now using that experience to move towards an agentic AI model, where software can understand business conditions, analyse data, recommend actions and assist with everyday decisions.

“AI in retail is not yet a chatbot,” CEO and founder George Malekkos said. “It is AI that understands your business, your products, your inventory, your customers, and your sales, and then helps you take action.”

Expanding Beyond Cyprus

Powersoft365 is positioning its platform as an API-first ecosystem, allowing retailers to connect AI agents with existing systems without replacing their entire technology infrastructure.

Malekkos said the company also wants to demonstrate that technology developed in Cyprus can compete internationally.

The Jakarta exhibition will give potential customers and partners an opportunity to test the technology and explore possible integrations and commercial cooperation.

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