As the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos comes to a close, participants reflect on the prevailing theme that dominated discussions: artificial intelligence (AI). The rapid rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and its counterparts in the past year has brought the power, potential, and implications of AI to the forefront of public consciousness.
Sam Altman, Chief of OpenAI, attended the summit along with top executives from Microsoft, a key supporter of OpenAI’s growth. Ian Bremmer, an analyst from the Eurasia Group, observed the absence of resistance from established industry players, highlighting the significant progress in AI despite potential disruptive consequences.
“The most important issue discussed here is where artificial intelligence is going. It’s not really being opposed by incumbent players. Usually, with a new technology, powerful entities try to stop it. AI, every powerful corporation, every major government sees that this is something they need to deploy, engage, and use. That’s going to make it faster. There are potentially disruptive implications, but it’s not slowing down. There’s a feeling of incredible accelerating progress, and 2024 could be incredibly exciting and risky,” stated Ian Bremmer.
Despite the overarching theme of this year’s WEF being “Rebuilding Trust,” the event’s takeaway suggests that the world still grapples with significant challenges in this regard. Rich Lesser, Chairman of Boston Consulting Group, acknowledged the unrealistic expectation that a single meeting like Davos could rebuild trust across fragmented dimensions. However, he noted the multitude of conversations across sectors as a starting point.
“It’s unrealistic to think that Davos or any meeting, anywhere in the world, can rebuild trust in one meeting when it’s fragmented on so many dimensions. The number of conversations with leaders worldwide, in different communities, does create a starting point for rebuilding trust, although it doesn’t solve the problem itself,” said Rich Lesser.
Trust issues span from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to concerns about profit prioritization over worker displacement with AI. The Davos meeting serves as a global decision-makers’ barometer, revealing a landscape of skepticism and uncertainty.
While a brighter global economic outlook is indicated by peaking interest rates and inflation in major markets, uncertainties persist. Intractable wars and upcoming elections in regions such as India, the European Union, South Africa, and the U.S. remain unpredictable factors that could reshape the world in unforeseen ways.
