Global Leaders Address AI, Climate Change, and Geopolitical Challenges at WEF 2025

Global leaders call for action on AI, regional reforms, environmental initiatives at WEF 2025

Global leaders have called for action on artificial intelligence (AI), regional reforms, and environmental initiatives at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, discussing key issues such as social media reform in Europe, closer regional integration in Asia, the creation of the world's largest tropical forest reserve in Africa and opportunities for progress in the Middle East. President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 announced the creation of the world's largest tropical forest reserve, according to a press release. The Kivu to Kinshasa Green Corridor Reserve will protect over 550,000 square kilometres of forest throughout the Congo River Basin. "This historic, unprecedented initiative will transform not only our natural landscapes but also the livelihoods of millions of our citizens," he said, adding that the initiative goes far beyond environmental preservation and includes economic development. As he prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship, Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed optimism about the 10-nation union's future and Malaysia's role in it. "The spirit of collaboration and esprit de corps between [ASEAN] leaders is unique," Anwar said, pointing to the contributions that closer regional integration in green energy has made to Malaysia's emergence as a high-tech manufacturing powerhouse. Anwar noted that while the US remained the largest single investor in Malaysia, the nation's "closeness, investment and trade with China" are growing. Stressing the importance of dialogue over conflict, he remarked, "We don't go to war or threaten--we discuss, get a little angry, but focus on economic fundamentals and move on." In a special address, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez called for a reform of social media governance across the European Union to curb misinformation and cyber harassment. He urged for stronger enforcement of the Digital Services Act and expanded powers for the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency. He emphasised that "the values of the European Union are not for sale" and called for increased funding for research into social media algorithms to ensure Europe's brightest minds address this critical challenge. United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres also issued a stark warning about two escalating global threats: the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. These challenges, he warned, pose unprecedented risks to humanity and demand immediate, unified action from governments and the private sector. On AI, Guterres acknowledged its immense potential but cautioned against the risks of leaving AI ungoverned. He emphasised the need for international collaboration, pointing to the Global Digital Compact adopted at the United Nations as a roadmap for harnessing digital technology responsibly. "We must collaborate so that all countries and people benefit from AI's promise and potential to support development and social and economic progress for all," he said. He also called on the private sector not to backtrack on their climate commitments and for governments to "keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans this year." Palestinian Authority foreign affairs minister Varsen Aghabekian expressed cautious optimism following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. "Optimism is not a choice; it is a must," adding that she hopes the ceasefire brings something more sustainable in the future. Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Aghabekian underscored the need for immediate relief efforts and long-term planning. "We have to ensure that the aid is reaching the people," she said. Weeks after the sudden collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hasan Al Shaiboutlined the new government's plans. "We will not look to the past. We will look to the future. And we promise to our people that this misery will not be repeated," adding that the government will respect the rights of women and reject the sectarian division that has long plagued the country. He also urged the removal of remaining sanctions, assuring the world Syria would no longer be a source of threats. "Thousands are returning to Syria and they need to help rebuild the country. Now we open a new page...We need Syria to be a country of peace." In a conversation with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Javad Zarif expressed hope that a second Trump presidency would reconsider his withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPOA, or the Iran nuclear deal) in 2018, during his first administration, and would be "more serious, more focused, and more realistic" about the cost of his withdrawal from the agreement. "In terms of being able to dissuade Iran, [the withdrawal from JCPOA] has failed," he said. "It has imposed heavy economic costs on the Iranian people. Of course, the Iranian government is suffering, but the Iranian people and the most vulnerable groups in Iran are suffering the most," Zarif said. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, taking place in Davos-Klosters from 20 to 24 January, convenes global leaders under the theme Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. The meeting will foster new partnerships and insights to shape a more sustainable, inclusive future in an era of rapidly advancing technology, focusing on five key areas: reimagining growth, industries in the intelligent age, investing in people, safeguarding the planet, and rebuilding trust.

Davos 2025: Trade, tariffs, AI and UN chief Guterres dominate World Economic Forum agenda

DAVOS, Switzlerand -- A speech by the U.N. chief, economic growth potential in places like China and Russia, the challenges of artificial intelligence, and appearances by leaders from Spain to Malaysia are set to headline the agenda at the World Economic Forum's annual event in Davos on Wednesday. António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has been one of the highest-profile advocates for the fight against climate change. That effort has been rattled by promises by U.S. President Donald Trump to " drill, baby, drill " and expand fossil-fuel production in the world's largest economy. Here's a look at what's on tap Wednesday at the annual meeting of elites in the Swiss Alps. The CEO of AI startup Groq and others take up the idea of artificial general intelligence, a futuristic vision of machines that are as broadly smart as humans or at least can do many things as well as people can. AGI has prompted concern for world governments and some top scientists have warned that unchecked AI agents with "long-term planning" skills could pose an existential risk to humanity. A day earlier, Trump highlighted a joint venture that plans to invest up to $500 billion for infrastructure linked to AI though a new partnership formed by Oracle, SoftBank and OpenAI, the maker of the ChatGPT -- whose chatbot has led to fascination with its ability to perform basic business tasks and answer complex questions, albeit with varying degrees of accuracy. The Stargate project plans to build out data centers and the electricity generation needed by voracious power needs of fast-evolving AI in Texas, the White House said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will deliver an address as leaders of the European Union, a key U.S. trading partner, continues to assess the return to power of Trump, who has promised tariffs on goods from friend and foe alike in the coming months. Trump appeared to mistakenly lump in Spain, one of the stronger economic performers in the EU last year, with the BRICS bloc of developing economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- on Tuesday. The U.S. leader has put pressure on Europe to spend more on defense. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim takes the podium after the southeast Asian nation and its neighbor Singapore struck a deal to create a special economic zone that would ramp up job creation and lure investment.

Davos 2025: Trade, tariffs, AI and UN chief Guterres dominate World Economic Forum agenda

DAVOS, Switzlerand (AP) -- A speech by the U.N. chief, economic growth potential in places like China and Russia, the challenges of artificial intelligence, and appearances by leaders from Spain to Malaysia are set to headline the agenda at the World Economic Forum's annual event in Davos on Wednesday. António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has been one of the highest-profile advocates for the fight against climate change. That effort has been rattled by promises by U.S. President Donald Trump to " drill, baby, drill " and expand fossil-fuel production in the world's largest economy. Here's a look at what's on tap Wednesday at the annual meeting of elites in the Swiss Alps. The CEO of AI startup Groq and others take up the idea of artificial general intelligence, a futuristic vision of machines that are as broadly smart as humans or at least can do many things as well as people can. AGI has prompted concern for world governments and some top scientists have warned that unchecked AI agents with "long-term planning" skills could pose an existential risk to humanity. A day earlier, Trump highlighted a joint venture that plans to invest up to $500 billion for infrastructure linked to AI though a new partnership formed by Oracle, SoftBank and OpenAI, the maker of the ChatGPT -- whose chatbot has led to fascination with its ability to perform basic business tasks and answer complex questions, albeit with varying degrees of accuracy. The Stargate project plans to build out data centers and the electricity generation needed by voracious power needs of fast-evolving AI in Texas, the White House said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will deliver an address as leaders of the European Union, a key U.S. trading partner, continues to assess the return to power of Trump, who has promised tariffs on goods from friend and foe alike in the coming months. Trump appeared to mistakenly lump in Spain, one of the stronger economic performers in the EU last year, with the BRICS bloc of developing economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- on Tuesday. The U.S. leader has put pressure on Europe to spend more on defense. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim takes the podium after the southeast Asian nation and its neighbor Singapore struck a deal to create a special economic zone that would ramp up job creation and lure investment.

UN chief, AI challenges and world leaders shape Davos 2025 agenda

DAVOS (AP) - A speech by the United Nations (UN) chief, economic growth potential in places like China and Russia, the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI), and appearances by leaders from Spain to Malaysia are set to headline the agenda at the World Economic Forum's annual event in Davos. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has been one of the highest-profile advocates for the fight against climate change. That effort has been rattled by promises by United States (US) President Donald Trump to "drill, baby, drill " and expand fossil-fuel production in the world's largest economy. Here's a look at what's on tap at the annual meeting of elites in the Swiss Alps. WHAT TO MAKE OF AI: PROMISE, PERIL OR BOTH? The CEO of AI start-up Groq and others take up the idea of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a futuristic vision of machines that are as broadly smart as humans or at least can do many things as well as people can. AGI has prompted concern for world governments and some top scientists have warned that unchecked AI agents with "long-term planning" skills could pose an existential risk to humanity. A day earlier, Trump highlighted a joint venture that plans to invest up to USD500 billion for infrastructure linked to AI though a new partnership formed by Oracle, SoftBank and OpenAI, the maker of the ChatGPT - whose chatbot has led to fascination with its ability to perform basic business tasks and answer complex questions, albeit with varying degrees of accuracy. The Stargate project plans to build out data centers and the electricity generation needed by voracious power needs of fast-evolving AI in Texas, the White House said. PRIME MINISTERS OF SPAIN AND MALAYSIA Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will deliver an address as leaders of the European Union (EU), a key US trading partner, continues to assess the return to power of Trump, who has promised tariffs on goods from friend and foe alike in the coming months. Trump appeared to mistakenly lump in Spain, one of the stronger economic performers in the EU last year, with the BRICS bloc of developing economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - on Tuesday. The US leader has put pressure on Europe to spend more on defense. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim takes the podium after the southeast Asian nation and its neighbour Singapore struck a deal to create a special economic zone that would ramp up job creation and lure investment.

World Economic Forum annual meeting 2025 to start next week in Davos, armed conflict, AI among key issues

More than 3,000 global leaders from upwards of 130 countries will make their annual pilgrimage next week to the World Economic Forum at Davos-Klosters. The event is scheduled to take place from January 20-24. Forum organizers say a record of around 900 business leaders, including from important emerging markets, will take part in the annual meeting this year, which is expected to draw nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries.The 2025 Annual Meeting of The World Economic Forum is scheduled to take place at Davos-Klosters from January 20 to 24, 2025. This gathering will bring together approximately 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries, highlighting the importance of open dialogue during these uncertain times. Nearly 5,000 Swiss army personnel will be on hand to ensure security for thousands of the world's top movers and shakers in government, business, technology, civil society, the humanities and art. Switzerland is the host country for the Annual Meeting. More than 350 governmental leaders are expected to participate this year, including 60 heads of state and government. There will be strong government representation from around the world. -350 governmental leaders, including 60 heads of states and governments, from all key regions will gather in Davos-Klosters to address pressing challenges and shape emerging opportunities, according to an official statement. -With the global economy undergoing a paradigm shift, the meeting will explore how to relaunch growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience. The Meeting will be accessible to the public with over 220 sessions livestreamed here. Follow the Meeting on social media using #WEF25, the statement read. -The overall theme of the annual meeting is "Collaboration in the intelligent age." Linked to this is the rapid technological advancements that hold both benefits and risks for society. "AI, or artificial intelligence, and generative artificial intelligence, or Gen AI, obviously, is front and center of our agenda. It is this super technology, if you will, that interacts with a lot of the other technologies," said Mirek Dusek, managing director of the WEF. ALSO READ: Kanye West- Bianca Censori marriage under threat? Rapper's recent Instagram post sparks buzz online -"Davos is unique in bringing together close to 3,000 decision makers from governments, business, and civil society at the beginning of the year to address the challenges of a world in deep transformation," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum. -US President Donald Trump will take part virtually in the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos just days after his inauguration, the forum president said Tuesday. It's not clear Elon Musk, the multibillionaire who is poised to co-lead Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, would attend. -Borge Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who heads the Geneva-based organization said climate change, war, global tensions, economic uncertainty and other issues will be key issues at World Economic Forum annual meeting 2025. Brende acknowledged that the 55th annual meeting of the forum will take place "against the most complicated geopolitical backdrop in generations." ALSO READ: Ben Affleck charged with crime? Actor's intense encounter with police outside LA home amid FBI investigation -Global leaders have said that escalating armed conflict is the most urgent threat in 2025 but the climate emergency is expected to cause the greatest concern over the next decade, according to the World Economic Forum, according to The Guardian. -Looking ahead to the coming 12 months, 23% of respondents feared "state-based armed conflict", as Russia continues to wage war in Ukraine and a series of other deadly clashes continue, including in Sudan and Gaza. With devastating wildfires continuing to rage in Los Angeles, the second-most common risk highlighted for 2025 was "extreme weather events", singled out by 14% of respondents, the report mentioned. ALSO READ: What is 'walking GDP', and why are Chinese cities chasing it? -Gim Huay Neo, the WEF's managing director, said: "The climate and nature crisis requires urgent attention and action. In 2024, annual global warming reached a record 1.54C above the preindustrial average, with many parts of the world experiencing unprecedented, catastrophic weather events." -"The Annual Meeting comes at a moment marked by a greater level of global uncertainty than we have seen in a generation, driven by geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation and accelerating climate change," said Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. "Within this more unsettled climate, the only way to address urgent challenges and unlock new opportunities is through innovative, cooperative approaches."

World Economic Forum will highlight conflict, AI, climate change

More than 3,000 global leaders from upwards of 130 countries will make their annual pilgrimage next week to the World Economic Forum, meeting in the plush Swiss Alpine resort of Davos. Nearly 5,000 Swiss army personnel will be on hand to ensure security for thousands of the world's top movers and shakers in government, business, technology, civil society, the humanities and art. They will convene between Jan. 20 and 24 to discuss and seek solutions for some of the most pressing issues of the day. Among the decision-makers expected to attend will be President-elect Donald Trump, who will be president of the United States when he makes a virtual appearance later next week at the yearly event. "The same week as we are opening our annual meeting next week, there also will be an inauguration happening in the largest economy in the world, the United States," Borge Brende, president and CEO of the WEF, told journalists at a news conference Tuesday. "So, we are pleased that also the key leaders from the largest economies in the world -- the United States, China, and European Union -- will be with us in Davos," he said, noting that Trump "has joined us physically in Davos before as president" during his first term. "He will on Thursday afternoon join us digitally, online live in the dialogue with our participants," he said. "We think that will be a very special moment also to learn more what the new administration's policy priorities are." Since the U.S. is likely to have confirmed a number of Trump's picks for his Cabinet, he said that toward the end of the week, "we do expect even additional high-level representation from the Trump administration." "So, we are very pleased by that because we know that there is a lot of interest among our participants and the rest of the world to decipher and understand the policies of the new administration," Brende said. "So, it will be a very interesting week." Asked whether multibillionaire Elon Musk might be among those attending the forum, he replied, "We don't know. He is, of course, also welcome with Donald Trump when he, hopefully, comes physically also at our next annual meeting." Brende noted that this year's forum is taking place at a time of greater global uncertainty than has been seen in a generation. He asserted that geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation and accelerating climate change demonstrate the critical need for dialogue. "Within this more unsettled climate, the only way to address urgent challenges and unlock new opportunities is through innovative, cooperative approaches," he said. Key topics on next week's forum agenda include the conflicts raging in the Middle East. Special panels will explore the "terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza," the future governance and rebuilding of Syria, and concerns about the potential escalation of conflicts in the region, particularly between Israel and Iran. "I don't think we are out of the woods yet," said Brende, noting that a strong Israeli delegation and Iran's vice president, Mohammad Javar Zarif, will be in Davos. "So, it should be possible for dialogue, and hopefully we can also find a path forward for peace and reconciliation, and address humanitarian sufferings." He said the "forgotten conflict in Sudan that, unfortunately, is also turning into a proxy war" will be debated, as will Myanmar and other areas of instability. "We know that the war in Ukraine is, unfortunately, continuing with huge humanitarian consequences," he said, noting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will give a special address at the forum. The overall theme of the annual meeting is "Collaboration in the intelligent age." Linked to this is the rapid technological advancements that hold both benefits and risks for society. "AI, or artificial intelligence, and generative artificial intelligence, or Gen AI, obviously, is front and center of our agenda. It is this super technology, if you will, that interacts with a lot of the other technologies," said Mirek Dusek, managing director of the WEF. "Among the host of technologies that we are tracking with the notion of the intelligent age, AI, and particularly Gen AI, over the past few years is a game changer," he said, underscoring the need for standards to assure the ethical use of that technology. "We are quite clear-eyed about the opportunities of these technologies, particularly AI, but also quite clear-eyed about what are the risks and how important it is that we deploy those technologies with ethical, societal, and other considerations," he said. "There is no intelligent age if there is no healthy planet, and without collaboration, we will not be able to build and address the climate and nature emergency," warned Gim Huay Neo, managing director of the WEF. "The climate and nature crisis requires urgent attention and action," she said, noting that annual global warming reached 1.54 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average last year. "A lot of the focus of the annual meeting will thus be on what are the issues and the challenges ... and in addressing the solutions that can help address the crisis," she said. Klaus Schwab, founder and chairman of the board of trustees of the WEF, touted the importance of bringing together thousands of decision-makers from governments, business, and civil society at the beginning of the year "to address the challenges of a world in deep transformation." "Despite divergent positions and great uncertainties, the annual meeting 2025 will foster a spirit of cooperation and constructive optimism with the objective of shaping the forthcoming Intelligent Age in a more sustainable and inclusive way," he said.

Davos 2025 starts today. Here's what we're watching at the World Economic Forum

A version of this article originally appeared in Quartz's Need to Know: Davos newsletter. To get updates on the World Economic Forum delivered straight to your inbox all week, sign up here. The global elite are dusting off their snow boots for the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland (this Monday through Friday), where "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" isn't just a fancy theme -- it's a loaded proposition for what might be one of the most consequential gatherings in years. This year, however, the Swiss mountains are competing with another summit altogether: Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington. The elephant in the (virtual) room: Just days after his inauguration on Monday, Trump on Thursday will address Davos via a video link in what WEF President and CEO Borge Brende says will be a "very special moment." But the real story might be who won't be in Davos. Tech leaders including Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Dara Khosrowshahi are choosing the D.C. swamp over the Alps. Meanwhile, Wall Street remains committed to Davos, with JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and other banking executives rumored to be sticking to their usual Swiss schedules. While some tech leaders are heading to Washington, Davos isn't exactly hurting for attendees. The Swiss gathering will host 60 heads of state and government, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. For the second year in a row, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make a special address about the Russian invasion of his country. On the business side, more than 900 CEOs will be navigating the Congress Centre's corridors, including what WEF said will include a notable contingent of unicorn founders and tech pioneers. They'll be tackling an agenda heavy on "frontier technologies" and quantum computing -- even if some of Silicon Valley's biggest names will be missing. The Forum is also pushing its "Global Collaboration Village," an extended reality platform that feels either perfectly timed for an era of virtual diplomacy or like a solution in search of a problem (we'll be watching to see which). The full program can be found here, with many of the sessions being streamed live. Here are some of the topics that will take center stage. Forget last year's theoretical AI discussions. OpenAI's Sam Altman says 2025 is when AI agents will actually join the workforce, and the company is launching its "Operator" product this month. Japan just hit a sobering milestone with 30% of its population now elderly. Several Davos sessions focus on "talent scarcity" and "reinventing retirement" -- signals that demographic shifts are no longer a future problem. Could AI agents help? You better believe they'll be pitched. That's the investment needed to get "hard-to-abate" sectors (think shipping, aviation, and steel) to net-zero emissions. These industries represent 40% of global emissions, and while everyone will talk about the opportunity, the funding gap remains stark. In this instance, the chance AI could be helpful actually has some decent evidence. Can a gathering that's often criticized as an elite talking shop actually make progress on what WEF's founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab calls a "societal revolution"? With converging technologies "reshaping the very fabric of our world" (his words, not ours), this year's Alpine gathering might matter more than the skeptics think.

Davos 2025: What to expect at this year's World Economic Forum

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) takes place from 20-24 January in Davos, Switzerland. Here's a look at what can be expected at this year's meeting. Davos is welcoming global leaders for the World Economic Forum 2025 this week with the meeting convening under the title Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. Discussions will span geo-economic uncertainty, AI, reimagining growth and safeguarding the planet, among other topics. Some 3,000 leaders are expected to attend from over 130 countries. Around 350 governmental leaders, including 60 heads of states and government, from all key regions, will also be in the mountain resort. "If the gulf between hopes and fears was in stark evidence last year, the context for Davos 2025 is no less conflicted. Geo-economic uncertainty, trade tensions, cultural polarisation, and climate anxiety are rumbling but there's also the promise of rapid innovation - AI, quantum computing and biotech - to boost productivity and living standards," a WEF press release noted. Participation is diverse - by sectors, industries, generations, and gender. "This diversity is fundamental to the Forum's approach to ensure that the most important issues in the world are discussed as widely as possible and solutions are designed with a diverse, cross-sectoral lens," the WEF press release said. More than 350 governmental leaders are expected to participate this year, including 60 heads of state and government: Top political leaders taking part include: Donald J. Trump, President-elect of the United States (who will join via live video link for an interactive dialogue with participants) - and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Ding Xuexiang, Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China; Javier Milei, President of Argentina; Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany; Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament; Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa and Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, will also be at the event. Moreover, the meeting will welcome Karin Keller-Sutter, President of the Swiss Confederation 2025, Federal Councillor, Head of the Federal Department of Finance; Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia; Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh; Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium; Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Mostafa Madbouli, Prime Minister of Egypt; Abdulatif Rashid, President of Iraq. Simon Harris, Taoiseach of Ireland; Isaac Herzog, President of Israel; Prime Minister of the Netherlands; Mohammed Mustafa and Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority; Dina Ercilia Boluarte will also be attending, as well as Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine. Heads of international organisations taking part include: António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation; Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of NATO. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation and Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, will also be in Davos. Over 1,600 business leaders, including over 900 of the world's top CEOs and Chairs from the World Economic Forum's Members and Partners, will also participate, over 120 of which are Global Innovators, Tech Pioneers and Unicorns who are transforming industries. "More than 170 leaders from civil society and the social sector - from labour unions, non-governmental organisations, religious and indigenous communities, as well as experts and heads of the world's leading universities, research institutions and think tanks - will participate in the meeting," the WEF also noted in a press release. More than 160 members of the Forum's communities, including the Unicorn and Technology Pioneers communities, the Community of Global Shapers, the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship will also attend to showcase local innovations and solutions to global challenges.

🏔️ What to expect at Davos 2025

Welcome back to our annual Need to Know: Davos newsletter! The global elite are dusting off their snow boots for the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland (this Monday through Friday), where "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age" isn't just a fancy theme -- it's a loaded proposition for what might be one of the most consequential gatherings in years. This year, however, the Swiss mountains are competing with another summit altogether: Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington. The elephant in the (virtual) room: Just days after his inauguration on Monday, Trump on Thursday will address Davos via a video link in what WEF President and CEO Borge Brende says will be a "very special moment." But the real story might be who won't be in Davos. Tech leaders including Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Dara Khosrowshahi are choosing the D.C. swamp over the Alps. Meanwhile, Wall Street remains committed to Davos, with JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and other banking executives rumored to be sticking to their usual Swiss schedules. While some tech leaders are heading to Washington, Davos isn't exactly hurting for attendees. The Swiss gathering will host 60 heads of state and government, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. For the second year in a row, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make a special address about the Russian invasion of his country. On the business side, more than 900 CEOs will be navigating the Congress Centre's corridors, including what WEF said will include a notable contingent of unicorn founders and tech pioneers. They'll be tackling an agenda heavy on "frontier technologies" and quantum computing -- even if some of Silicon Valley's biggest names will be missing. The Forum is also pushing its "Global Collaboration Village," an extended reality platform that feels either perfectly timed for an era of virtual diplomacy or like a solution in search of a problem (we'll be watching to see which). Some of the topics that will take center stage: "Agentic AI" is having its moment: Forget last year's theoretical AI discussions. OpenAI's Sam Altman says 2025 is when AI agents will actually join the workforce, and the company is launching its "Operator" product this month. The talent crisis is getting real: Japan just hit a sobering milestone with 30% of its population now elderly. Several Davos sessions focus on "talent scarcity" and "reinventing retirement" -- signals that demographic shifts are no longer a future problem. Could AI agents help? You better believe they'll be pitched. A $30 trillion reality check: That's the investment needed to get "hard-to-abate" sectors (think shipping, aviation, and steel) to net-zero emissions. These industries represent 40% of global emissions, and while everyone will talk about the opportunity, the funding gap remains stark. In this instance, the chance AI could be helpful actually has some decent evidence. The big, perennial question: Can a gathering that's often criticized as an elite talking shop actually make progress on what WEF's founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab calls a "societal revolution"? With converging technologies "reshaping the very fabric of our world" (his words, not ours), this year's Alpine gathering might matter more than the skeptics think. The full program can be found here, with many of the sessions being streamed live. We'll be watching closely and bringing you the most important developments. Stay tuned. P.S. At least one person is trying to have it all: Argentina's President Javier Milei plans to attend both Trump's inauguration and Davos. Now that's what we call global collaboration.