As the World Economic Forum (WEF) prepares to convene in Davos, Switzerland, from 19–23 January 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as the defining theme of this year’s annual meeting. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, climate pressures, and economic fragmentation, the forum is framing “The Spirit of Dialogue” as both a strategic necessity and a moral imperative for global leadership.
For the Forum, dialogue is not merely a diplomatic exercise. It is a tool to bridge divides — between nations, sectors, technologies, and generations — at a moment when no actor or institution can operate in isolation. The 56th Annual Meeting is expected to attract nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including more than 400 political leaders and 850 CEOs, marking one of the highest levels of participation in the forum’s history.
A World at the Crossroads of Technology and Policy
The agenda for Davos 2026 reflects a rare convergence of risk and opportunity. AI is rapidly shifting from experimental technology to foundational infrastructure. Its deployment is influencing productivity, labour markets, financial systems, defence, and even democratic stability. Leaders at Davos will debate how poorly governed AI could exacerbate inequality, misinformation, and economic fragmentation — but also how it could help solve complex global challenges.
Executives from leading AI companies, including Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind, Dario Amodei of Anthropic, and Sarah Friar of OpenAI, will be in Davos to discuss how technological leadership has become a form of geopolitical power.
“The pace of technological change is accelerating faster than the institutions that are meant to govern it,” said Børge Brende, President and CEO of the WEF. “Dialogue is not a luxury in times of uncertainty; it is an urgent necessity.”
Africa’s Alternative Approach to AI
Africa is still emerging in the global AI landscape. Only 16 of its 54 countries have launched national AI strategies, and research output from the continent accounts for less than 1% of the global total, despite representing 18% of the world’s population.
Yet African nations are increasingly offering a distinct model of AI development — one that prioritises cooperation, equity, and people-centred innovation. Countries including Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa are embedding digital sovereignty, ethical innovation, and inclusivity into their AI frameworks.
“Many African countries are prioritising development over dominance, and responsible innovation over unchecked acceleration,” said Angela Oduor Lungati, a Young Global Leader participating in Davos. “If adopted globally, this approach could help create an AI ecosystem that is shared, inclusive, and safe.”
Africa’s challenge lies not in ambition but in readiness. Infrastructure deficits, skills gaps, and limited access to advanced capital continue to constrain large-scale AI deployment. Yet the continent’s demographic profile — home to the world’s youngest population — positions it as a critical market and talent pool for the AI era. By the mid-2030s, more people will enter the workforce in Africa each year than in the rest of the world combined, a fact increasingly shaping discussions on future growth.
Lessons from Human-AI Collaboration
Davos discussions are also examining the partnership between humans and machines as a blueprint for broader societal challenges. Chess grandmaster Yifan Hou, speaking as part of the Forum of Young Global Leaders, framed AI not as a competitor but as a collaborator.
“In chess, pairing human creativity with AI’s analytical power achieves results neither could accomplish alone,” Hou said. “The lessons extend to climate change, public health, and economic inequality — problems too complex for humans or machines to solve on their own.”
This perspective underscores a recurring theme at Davos: technological adoption alone is insufficient. Leadership requires a combination of strategic foresight, ethical governance, and cross-sector collaboration.
Davos 2026 is shaping up as a test of leadership where technological engagement, rather than ideology, defines competitiveness. For Africa’s business leaders, the question is no longer whether technology will disrupt their industries, but whether they will shape that disruption — or be shaped by it.
As the world watches the discussions unfold at 1,500 metres in the Swiss Alps, the forum is offering a glimpse of what the next era of leadership may look like: collaborative, technologically fluent, and attuned to the human consequences of AI.