AI Added 'Basically Zero' to US Economic Growth Last Year, Goldman Sachs Says
gizmodo.com
February 23, 2026
2 min read
Summary
Goldman Sachs reports that AI contributed "basically zero" to U.S. economic growth last year. Tech companies, including Meta, Amazon, Google, and OpenAI, are projected to invest approximately $700 billion this year in new data centers for AI model training and operation.
Key Takeaways
- Goldman Sachs analysts report that AI investment contributed "basically zero" to U.S. GDP growth in 2025.
- A significant portion of AI-related spending in the U.S. is offset by imports of equipment, which does not positively impact U.S. GDP calculations.
- A survey of nearly 6,000 executives found that 80% of firms using AI reported no impact on employment or productivity.
- There is currently no reliable method to measure the economic contribution of AI usage among businesses and consumers.
Community Sentiment
MixedPositives
- AI tooling is rapidly evolving, and while not universally accessible yet, it is beginning to provide significant value in various applications.
- The ability to leverage AI for cost-saving solutions in businesses demonstrates its practical utility, even if these impacts are not formally tracked.
Concerns
- The article highlights a concerning trend where AI's impact on economic growth is perceived as negligible, suggesting a disconnect between hype and reality.
- There are significant concerns about the environmental and social costs of AI development, which are often overshadowed by the focus on its benefits.
Related Articles
America's $1T AI Gamble
Feb 10, 2026
Thousands of CEOs just admitted AI had no impact on employment or productivity
Feb 18, 2026
Americans Recognize AI as a Wealth Inequality Machine, Polls Find
Mar 18, 2026
Investment executive praises China for using AI to grow industry, pokes fun at the US for making "AI girlfriends"
Jan 23, 2026
Amazon Employees Say AI Is Just Increasing Workload
Mar 12, 2026
Source
gizmodo.com
Published
February 23, 2026
Reading Time
2 minutes
Relevance Score
61/100
Why It Matters
This page is optimized for focused reading: quick context up top, a clean summary block, and a direct path to the original source when you want the full story.