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Consumer Spending Drives U.S. GDP Growth, Not AI

1/26/2026

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Summary

Story summary

In 2025, consumer spending was the main contributor to U.S. GDP growth, not artificial intelligence investment, according to MRB Partners.
AI-related capital expenditures added about 0.9% to GDP, but fall to 0.4–0.5% after AI hardware imports.
Prajakta Bhide, a U.S. economic strategist at MRB Partners, says AI plays a role but is not the sole factor.
The findings indicate a more balanced economic expansion.

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Story summary

In 2025, consumer spending was the main contributor to U.S. GDP growth, not artificial intelligence investment, according to MRB Partners.
AI-related capital expenditures added about 0.9% to GDP, but fall to 0.4–0.5% after AI hardware imports.
Prajakta Bhide, a U.S. economic strategist at MRB Partners, says AI plays a role but is not the sole factor.
The findings indicate a more balanced economic expansion.