The recent World Economic Forum 56th annual meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, drew strong engagement with close to 3,000 participants from 139 countries, including 400 top political leaders, nearly 65 heads of state and government, a majority of G7 leaders, close to 830 of the world’s top CEOs and chairs, and almost 80 leading unicorns and technology pioneers.
Against a very complex geopolitical backdrop, attendees met under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue” to share and find agreement about some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Participants debated the forces shaping tomorrow, with five critical themes dominating the discussions: cooperating in a more contested world, unlocking new sources of growth, better investing in people, deploying innovation at scale and responsibly, and building prosperity within planetary boundaries.
Cooperating in a more contested world
Participants emphasised the need to strengthen the resilience of global cooperation and agreed that rebuilding trust and fostering collaboration through effective communication and dialogue are crucial to finding common ground.
Discussions also reflected the findings of the 2026 global risks report, which points to a new competitive order taking shape, with impacts across multiple concurrent risk domains, while longer-term challenges continue to create knock-on effects across systems.
Unlocking new sources of growth
While discussing dwindling multilateralism, speakers focused on growth engines, which include technology. With the World Economic Forum expecting global growth at just 3.1% for 2026, debates looked at reducing macroeconomic imbalances and stimulating the economy through investment in new technologies. AI and the supporting infrastructure are now central to growth strategies in both the public and private sectors.
Technology leaders also highlighted fast‑track advancements, and the conversation often centered on expanding access so that individuals and businesses – whether in advanced or developing economies – can benefit from growth.
One focus for discussion was the EU-INC proposal for a new, optional, pan-European company structure, presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the forum. It would allow businesses to digitally incorporate a single company to operate across all EU Member States at a low cost and under a harmonised company law framework. A formal legislative proposal is expected as early as March 2026. This would help businesses compete on the global stage, attracting global investment while accelerating AI factories, giga factories, and “AI-first” innovation.
The forum also saw the launch of the Draghi Tracker to monitor implementation of report recommendations, while speakers highlighted opportunities for Europe to drive innovation by scaling up public and private investment, as well as the potential offered by the Savings and Investment Union to fuel growth in key sectors.
Better investing in people
Audiences heard that growth depends on people and creating opportunities for all, ensuring that the benefits reach more people. Given the tough economic and social climate and the swift pace of technological change, bolstering workforce resilience is essential. This calls for greater emphasis on reskilling, upskilling, job creation, and preparing workers for the future.
Leaders stressed that education must stay aligned with future job markets, urging support for vocational pathways and highlighting the expanding opportunities these careers present as technology evolves. They also stressed that expanding credit access should be a priority to stimulate entrepreneurship.
Deploying innovation at scale and responsibly
To meet the energy needs of tomorrow, technology must be scaled up, grids upgraded and access to innovation developed. As such, speakers called for responsible innovation, particularly in the fields of AI and biotech. Healthcare was highlighted as a key area for innovation, with rapid advances in robotics and the development of devices such as smart patches for glucose tracking.
When established technologies such as AI intersect with emerging areas like quantum computing or synthetic biology, concepts transition from the lab to the market more quickly, shaping industry growth and opening fresh avenues for enhancing the world.
Building prosperity within planetary boundaries
The participants expressed optimism about the accelerating global growth of renewable energy, emphasising the importance and opportunity of collaboration to amplify the positive impact and scale of these innovations. They also highlighted the urgency of the climate crisis, warning that breaching climate tipping points could lead to consequences that are hard – or even impossible – to reverse.
A group of leading manufacturers unveiled a joint commitment to standardise sustainability data requests and streamline environmental reporting for their small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) suppliers, helping them become more competitive and grow economically through decarbonisation. These companies represent around 90% of all businesses and more than half of employment worldwide.
