BORROWINGS - Schedule of Borrowings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total borrowings	$ 125,839	$ 134,591
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	19,371	24,036
Eliminations	(8,847)	(10,114)
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	105,134	108,575
Eliminations	(29,004)	(32,079)
Long-term assumed debt	$ 36,054	38,804
Weighted average interest rate	3.60%
Weighted average term of intercompany loans	15 years
Non-recourse borrowings of consolidated securitization entities (Note 11)	$ 1,335	1,980
Current portion of long-term borrowings
Long-term borrowings
Non-recourse borrowings of consolidated securitization entities (Note 11)	363	621
GE
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	12,615	14,548
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	64,792	67,040
GE | Senior notes
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	60,496	62,724
GE | Subordinated notes
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	2,984	2,913
GE | Other
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	1,312	1,403
GE | Commercial paper
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	3,005	3,000
GE | Current portion of long-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	7,801	9,452
GE | Other
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	1,809	2,095
GE Capital
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	15,603	19,602
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	69,346	73,614
GE Capital | Current portion of long-term borrowings/Short-term borrowings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Funding secured by aircraft and other collateral	257	348
GE Capital | Non-recourse debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Funding secured by aircraft and other collateral	341	458
GE Capital | Intercompany payable to GE
Long-term borrowings
Long-term intercompany loans	7,556	7,271
GE Capital | Senior notes
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	39,580	40,754
GE Capital | Subordinated notes
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	191	208
GE Capital | Other
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Funding secured by aircraft and other collateral	1,078	1,118
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	1,078	1,118
GE Capital | Intercompany payable to GE
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	28,497	31,533
GE Capital | Non-recourse borrowings of consolidated securitization entities
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	1,335	1,980
GE Capital | Commercial paper
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	3,949	5,013
GE Capital | Current portion of long-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	3,776	5,781
GE Capital | Intercompany payable to GE
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	7,405	8,310
GE Capital | Other
Short-term borrowings
Short-term borrowings	473	497
BHGE
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	6,480	7,225
BHGE | Senior notes
Long-term borrowings
Borrowings	$ 6,197	$ 6,206