WEF 2026 showed us AI will rule the future

The World Economic Forum (WEF) was not created as a technology summit. When Klaus Schwab founded it in 1971, Davos was conceived as a space for dialogue among political leaders, business executives and policymakers seeking coordination in an increasingly interdependent global economy. For decades, finance ministers, central bankers and heads of state set the tone. Technology firms were present, but rarely dominant.

That balance began to shift in the mid-2010s. When Schwab himself introduced the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) as the “Fourth Industrial Revolution. Since then, AI moved from being a sectoral issue to a structural one. While AI was initially focused on innovation, as its importance and impact became clear, it increasingly became a matter of power. Since then, AI has entered political discourse as a strategic asset shaping competitiveness, sovereignty, geopolitical rivalry and the overall balance of power.

AI dominated WEF

The most recent WEF meeting, which took place a couple of days ago, demonstrated how complete that transformation has become. Two issues defined the gathering: U.S. President Donald Trump’s speech and AI. On the surface, Trump’s speech, geopolitical positioning and discussions surrounding Greenland commanded headlines. Yet even these conversations are inseparable from AI policy, considering that his interest in Greenland is not only about territory but about access to