The Davos dilemma
Every January, the world’s most powerful leaders and business elites gather at the World Economic Forum in Davos to talk about the future. This year’s theme was “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” meant to be a vision of global challenges—climate change, AI safety, economic inequality—solved through cooperation. These kinds of global issues are too big for any one nation or one company to solve alone. The future is complex, and it demands collective action.
Meanwhile, the same week in the United States, newly inaugurated President Trump launched what he called a “revolution of common sense.” His administration immediately focused on cutting “bureaucracy,” (in the form of slashing agency staff), prioritizing national interests, and pulling back from global commitments like the Paris Climate Accords and the World Health Organization.
These two worldviews—Davos’ interconnected, tech-driven future vs. Trump’s nationalist, simplified approach—are clashing in real time.