Mumbai, Oct. 15 -- The IMF noted in its world economic outlook the current AI boom presents some parallels with the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. Market optimism about a new technology-the internet then, AI now-is pushing up stock valuations, fueling a tech-centered investment boom, and sustaining consumption on the back of strong capital gains. This could push the neutral interest rate up. Should the AI boom continue unabated, the risk is that demand pressures accentuate further, requiring tighter policies. Indeed, between June 1999 and May 2000, the Federal Reserve needed to raise its policy rate by a cumulative 175 basis points to contain inflationary pressures. But the risk is also that lofty profit expectations will ultimately be unm...