Everything begins with talent and can either flourish or falter under leadership

Two predominant themes captured most of the discussions in Davos: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its evolutions, such as Generative AI (GenAI) and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), as well as the potential impacts and influence of the newly inaugurated President of the United States on political, economic, and business spheres.

Regarding Artificial Intelligence, it became evident that it transcends the debate on technological innovations and transforms into a disruptive force poised to impact our lives as individuals and societies in ways as significant as, or even more so than, the advent of the internet two decades ago. The potential positive impact of AI is enormous, with widely recognized benefits, including but not limited to:

• Exponential expansion of access to education.
• Significant improvements in healthcare services through personalized and low-cost solutions.
• Support in addressing demographic challenges, both on a global and individual level, through personal assistants and tools that aid in decision-making processes.

However, the discourse surrounding AI, GenAI, and AGI is not unanimous. The pace of implementation of these technologies sparks intense debate. While some advocate for accelerating development, others warn of risks such as loss of control or the amplification of social biases. A quick survey among Forum participants revealed equally divided opinions on the subject.

There is, however, an important point of consensus among experts: the belief in the critical importance of computational processing power to unlock the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) and their future evolutions. It is possible that we may soon witness the emergence of so-called Quantum Language Models (QuantumLM), accompanied by concerns about increased energy demand, particularly in a context where energy consumption, carbon emissions, and sustainability are central topics on the global agenda. Paradoxically, advances in energy-intensive technologies also present some of the best solutions to address these challenges.

Still within the AI domain, while 2025 may not mark the advent of AGI, it is expected to be a decisive year for agentic AI – autonomous agents designed to assist us in various domains, especially in the complex landscape of decision-making (as long as we maintain the ability to make those decisions).

Remaining in complex scenarios, one can observe, despite the new U.S. economic policies and their potentially disruptive decisions, a pressing apprehension and even a certain pessimism among Europeans regarding the region's ability to adapt to the current, volatile global landscape and to make a relevant impact on the innovation ecosystem.

Although there is broad agreement on the challenges faced by Europe, the prevailing perception is one of stagnation. Issues such as talent drain, outdated legislation, low risk appetite, lack of capital, and the sluggishness of joint actions are weakening its position in the global economy. While the U.S., China, and emerging Asian economies lead the opportunities, Europe faces a growing competitive disadvantage.

Moreover, the non-negotiable foundations that define Europe – such as human rights and social pillars – tend to falter under prolonged economic pressure. To sustain its values, the region must confront its challenges and advance to a more competitive position on the global stage. Economic success, it is worth noting, is directly tied to innovation, which ultimately relies on talent.

Returning to Davos agenda, whose main theme was "Collaboration for the Intelligent Era", there is no disagreement: intelligence is born from talent, and it is now beginning to be augmented, step by step, by AI. Intelligent collaboration among individuals, talents, companies, regions, and countries, supported by technology, is essential to generating value and sustainability. For such collaboration to materialize, a greater purpose that connects and aligns decisions and agreements is indispensable.

More than ever, companies, regions, and continents that understand this reality will choose their leaders wisely, recognizing the impact of their leadership in creating environments conducive to collaboration. These leaders have the responsibility to positively influence, create favorable contexts, and attract the best talents to contribute to the society.