The industries attracting the world’s capital are changing fast. International investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, critical minerals and energy-transition technologies and services has surged over the past five years, becoming one of the clearest signs of how global production is being reshaped.

According to the World Investment Report 2026 by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), strategic sectors accounted for 44% of global greenfield investment in 2025, up from 16% in 2020. The value of announced projects in these sectors rose from $109 billion to $576 billion over the same period.

The report identifies five strategic sectors: AI infrastructure and related technologies; advanced and sensitive…