Macroeconomic Indicators & Trends

October 16, 2026

Could an AI Reset Expose a Stagflationary Economy?

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Torsten Slok

Partner, Chief Economist

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Let’s call the ongoing correction in AI assets "The AI Reset," where investors mark down their expectations for future cash flows.

What are the implications for the economy?

A sharp reset in AI expectations could undermine corporate confidence, trigger a pullback in capex and weigh on GDP growth, just as higher oil prices, tariffs and tighter immigration restrictions push inflation higher, raising the risk of a stagflationary environment in which growth slows even as price pressures persist.

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