The World Economic Forum 2025 brought together over 3,000 leaders, thinkers, and innovators in the stunning Swiss Alps - Davos. The theme of the event was "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age." The meetings took place from January 20 to January 24, 2025.
With AI investments expected to hit $300 billion by 2030 and quantum computing advancing faster than ever, big changes are here. Industries are being transformed—AI is changing how we work, and biotech is reshaping healthcare.
At this year’s Annual WEF meeting in Davos, leaders tackled tough questions: How do we keep up with all this change? How do we innovate responsibly? And how do we make sure everyone benefits?
If you missed the buzz, here’s a quick look at the biggest tech highlights—from breakthroughs to what’s coming next.
The Pulse of the Intelligent Age
This year’s talks recognized one big truth: rapid advancements in technology—like AI and quantum computing—are changing everything. Industries, economies, and even societies are being reshaped. But with all this change comes a need to work together. Collaboration is key to managing risks, ensuring fairness, and making the most of these breakthroughs.
AI Takes the Spotlight
At Davos 2025, artificial intelligence was the clear star. From Generative AI to the approaching arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), conversations covered invention to ethics.
A poll by Accenture revealed that 58% of executives expect generative AI to scale within their organizations by 2025, a sharp rise from 37% in 2024.
"AI is kind of becoming our partner to help us to run our lives, run our businesses, to help us to deliver a new level of productivity. You’re just seeing the very beginning of what will be one of the biggest investment levels in the history of the world, because this is an opportunity for us to completely transform how we do everything." - Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.
But not all conversations were rosy. Deep concerns were shown about the increase in deepfakes, tracking, and job displacement. Andrew Ng, Executive Chairman at LandingAI, captured the sentiment saying that the business is getting better at improving technology every year.
Meanwhile, Yoshua Bengio, an AI pioneer, added a cautionary note:
"We've taken human intelligence as the model for building artificial intelligence. And the reason it's a mistake is that the thing we really want from machines is not a new species... what we actually want is something that will help us solve our problems."
The talks at Davos made it evident that although AI has a lot of promise, there are still many obstacles to overcome.
Reannouncing the AI Stargate Initiative
U.S. President Donald Trump used the platform to re-announce his $500bn AI project, the 'Stargate Initiative.'
Trump emphasized:
"There will be no better place on Earth to create jobs, build factories or grow a company than right here in the good old USA. The economic confidence is soaring like we haven't seen in many, many decades. We need double the energy we currently have in the United States for AI to be as big as we want to have it, because it's very competitive."
The pretentious re-announcement of the Stargate demonstrated how much governments are competing to lead AI and aims to solidify the U.S.’s dominance in AI tech. This shows how critical the role AI plays in global tech dominance. With the recent emergence of China leading the AI race apparently, the hint again looked well formulated.
Sustainability
Sustainability was another topic at the forum, especially with the rise of AI-driven technologies. The record-breaking energy demands driven by AI and data centers were discussed as urgent challenges. Energy-efficient cooling systems, which may reduce energy consumption by 80% and eliminate water consumption in data centers, were a major topic of debate.
Katie McGinty noted:
"Innovation isn’t optional. It’s the bridge to a sustainable future."
Trust in Cybersecurity
75% of organizations report that customer trust has been damaged after cyber incidents. Leaders stressed the need for proactive and collaborative approaches to keep our connected world secure.
Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, summed it up:
"If we can get people back into the physical world, connecting together with one another, I think that's the ultimate promise of the internet, which was always meant to bring us together. I'm optimistic that this is maybe one of the greatest times in human history to be alive with one of the biggest technological revolutions in front of us and if we can just see beyond our differences, we can come together to create such a wonderful world together."
Cybersecurity isn’t just about stopping breaches anymore. It’s about building systems that can handle the fast-evolving threats ahead. At Davos, discussions centered on creating global standards and frameworks to maintain trust in the digital world.
Aiman Ezzat, CEO of Capgemini, advocated for ecosystem thinking:
"Increased adoption of new technologies and broadening digital access are also major trends for organisational transformation. They will help address youth unemployment as well as enable underserved communities to access the workforce. Education and reskilling will be the key enablers for accelerating this evolution."
Quantum Computing
While AI was the main focus, quantum computing also got a lot of attention at Davos. With new advancements in quantum algorithms and computing power, this tech has huge potential to transform many industries.
Experts discussed the big ethical and regulatory challenges, especially around how quantum computing could break current encryption methods used to protect sensitive data.
Crypto at a Crossroads
While AI stole the limelight, cryptocurrency, and blockchain maintained their relevance. Leaders like Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong mentioned regulatory shifts of these digital currencies. He remarked:
"Digital assets will redefine the global financial system, increasing economic freedom and transparency."
However, there’s still some doubt about uneven adoption. Clearer criteria and improved monitoring are being demanded by many.
Dawn of Artificial General Intelligence?
AGI—machines that can think and reason like humans—has been a hot topic. Some see it as a proactive method that can solve some of the world’s toughest problems. But others worry about its risks, especially when it comes to jobs and how society will adjust.
Nick Clegg, from Meta, shared his view that AI should be open and available to everyone:
"AI is a general-purpose tool, and it needs to be accessible to all to drive progress."
However, Ian Bremmer, from Eurasia Group, reminded us of the risks if we don’t manage it well:
"Unchecked AI risks undermining the humanity that holds civil society together."
Key Takeaways
- AI, quantum computing, and robotics hold immense promise but require ethical governance.
- Reskilling and education are key to preparing the workforce for future challenges.
- Balancing innovation with decarbonization goals is non-negotiable.
- From cybersecurity to climate action, collaboration is the linchpin for progress.
As we leave Davos 2025, one thing is clear: the Intelligent Age is here, and it’s reshaping our world at a great speed. To thrive, leaders must balance ambition with responsibility, and innovation with humanity.
Or as Marc Benioff put it:
"The future isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we build – together."