Theme of “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” Inevitably Brought Conversations on AI, Digitalization and the Energy Transition

The 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum took place from January 20 to 24, in Davos, Switzerland, centered around the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”, provided a vital space for delving into the fundamental principles of rebuilding trust, reimagining growth, and safeguarding the planet.
This year’s Annual Meeting welcomed over 2,500 leaders from diverse sectors, including government, business, civil society, and esteemed scientific, academic, and cultural thinkers. Holcim was proud to host several impactful events focused on advancing decarbonization and circularity in the built environment.
Around 500 sessions and workshops took place, facilitating dialogue, debate and alignment across many perspectives. Over the course of the week, the Forum and its partners also launched or advanced high-impact initiatives, communities and insights, serving as ongoing platforms for multi-year collaboration across geographies and industries.
“The future does not just unfold. The future is shaped by people,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum. “By embracing constructive optimism and believing in our collective capacity and commitment to improve the state of the world, we can shape the Intelligent Age, as an era where every human being can realize their full potential.”
“We are in one of the most complex and consequential moments in generations, when fast-changing geopolitical, geoeconomic and technological currents are shaping our societies and our industries and will do so for years to come,” said Borge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum. “In this era of uncertainty, we must find ways of working together because force cannot replace discourse and conflict cannot replace compromise.”
As rapid technological change impacts societies, and amid growing geopolitical and geo-economic tensions, with a shift towards multipolarity and growing competition between global powers, leaders called for global cooperation and resilience.
“At a time of greater geopolitical turbulence, there are important signs that cooperation continues to improve lives, particularly at the regional level,” said Mirek Dusek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Across the world, many economies are stepping up to work with one another on advancing innovative and growth agendas for all.”
U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that he would “like to meet with President Putin soon” and “get the war ended,” highlighting the heavy human cost of the conflict in Ukraine.
“Protectionism leads nowhere. Trade war has no winners,” said Ding Xuexiang, Vice-Premier of China.
“To sustain our growth in the next quarter of the century, Europe must shift gears,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. “We should not take anything for granted. We must look for new opportunities wherever they arise. This is the moment to engage beyond blocs and taboos. And Europe is ready for change.”
“From the Middle East to Ukraine, to Sudan and beyond, we still face an uphill battle. We will never give up in calling for peace – but peace grounded on values: The UN charter, international law, including international humanitarian law, and the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states,” said Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.
“Europe must be able to guarantee peace and security for everybody – for itself and for others, for those in the world who matter to Europe,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.
“We are fortunate the [South-East Asian] region is relatively the most peaceful, with the fastest growing economy and very pragmatic policies,” said Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia. “We are able to do that primarily because the relations and the trust between leaders are exemplary.”
Discussions highlighted the significance of innovation and collaboration in making cities more circular and resilient, and reinforced the need for sustainable practices within construction to shape a better future for both people and the planet.
The theme of ‘Collaboration for the Intelligent Age’ inevitably brought about conversations on AI, digitalization and the energy transition. Its programme focused on five thematic priorities; Rebuilding trust, Reimagining growth, Investing in people, Safeguarding the planet and Industries in the intelligent age.

Another major topic of conversation in Davos was the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With Israeli massacres, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, the forum offered a platform for leaders to discuss potential pathways to peace.
This year, the WEF saw increased representation from Middle Eastern countries, many of which are pushing for diplomatic breakthroughs between Israel and Palestine. Despite years of stalled negotiations and ongoing violence, there were calls from both regional leaders and Western diplomats for a return to peace talks and a two-state solution. However, skepticism abounds, as previous peace initiatives have failed to make significant headway.
Most notable was the speech from Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who stressed that the Palestinian cause remains central to the Arab world and must be addressed to secure long-term stability in the region. He also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, pointing out that the recent normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab states under the Abraham Accords could pave the way for a broader peace framework.
Yet, despite the high-level calls for peace, there was little in the way of actionable commitments. Many analysts have argued that unless there is a fundamental shift in Israeli policy – or a change in the Palestinian leadership – true peace remains elusive. The long-standing deadlock, exacerbated by political instability and violence, leaves many questioning whether discussions at Davos or similar fora can truly drive meaningful change on the ground.
“Our whole foreign policy stands for mediation, facilitation and keeping open communication with everyone, to bring peace through mediation not through wars,” said Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.
Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, welcomed the recent ceasefire and release of three hostages, but cautioned against unwarranted optimism. “I want to be lucid and cautious…there are opportunities, but still risks. We must ensure this never happens again,” he said.
Weeks after the sudden collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Asaad Hasan AlShaibani, Minister of Affairs of Syria, outlined the new government’s plans. “We will not look to the past. We will look to the future. And we promise to our people that this misery will not be repeated,” adding that the government will respect the rights of women and reject the sectarian division that has long plagued the country.
“Optimism is not a choice; it is a must,” said Varsen Aghabekian, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Palestinian National Authority, adding that she hopes the ceasefire brings something more sustainable in the future. Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Aghabekian underscored the need for immediate relief efforts and long-term planning. “We have to ensure that the aid is reaching the people,” she said.
Participants addressed the need for workforce development, reskilling and job creation in emerging sectors to drive equitable growth and prosperity.
“This is the most powerful generation in human history,” said Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, before addressing politicians around the world: “Are you allowing your young people to move up? You have to understand this generation and prepare.”
“Closing the job gap is an international, societal challenge,” said Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore. “It is the mismatch of skills and aspirations that leads to social disorder.”
Elizabeth Shuler, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, added a labour perspective, stressing the importance of ensuring high-wage jobs in this transformation: “Working people want to be part of defining this future and making it a prosperous, safe one for the workers who will power these industries.”
“We need to reconfigure the institutions, the routines, that we are so used to which have marginalized young people,” said Duma Gideon Boko, President of Botswana. “We now have to bring them on board. They need to have access to skills. Not just academic training, skills.”
“Healthier women form the foundation of stronger families, productive workplaces and resilient economies,” said Anita Zaidi, Board Co-Chair of the Global Alliance for Women’s Health, and President of Gender Equality, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Yet profound gender gaps in research and scientific innovation continue to deny women the basic tools, treatments and services they need to remain healthy.”
The meeting explored new opportunities for economic growth at a time when growth projections remain muted.
“What we are going to see over time is a reflection in trade and economic relations of a geopolitically changing world,” said Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. “More regional cooperation, more cooperation based on supply chains, more engagement that allows countries to achieve their objectives.”
“We need a banking union, we need capital markets union, we need to keep the talent at home and we need to keep the savings at home,” said Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for renewed commitments to security and prosperity in the face of global challenges, emphasizing that partnerships serve as the “engine for successful economic development.” Friedrich Merz, Leader of the Opposition of Germany, detailed how key the manufacturing industry was to Germany and that it was the “backbone” of Germany’s economy.
“Argentina has become a global example of fiscal responsibility, of commitment to honouring our obligations, and obviously a commitment to solving the inflation problem,” said Javier Milei, President of Argentina.
“Many agree that Africa is the next frontier of global growth and productivity,” said Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. “The African continent has an unrivalled natural resource endowment, with the youngest population of all continents.”
“This is going to be the year of opportunities for the country,” said Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, who highlighted the importance of “soft power”.★

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