Gen AI and geopolitics were top of mind for those at this year’s gathering on the mountaintop" to "AI and geopolitics were top of mind for those at this year’s gathering on the mountaintop.
During a McKinsey Live webinar, senior partners Tracy Francis, Daniel Pacthod, and Rodney Zemmel, fresh from the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, offered their insights, sentiments, and takeaways from the meeting and answered questions about the issues on the agenda in Davos, including:
AI. The subject of artificial intelligence—whether traditional, generative, or agentic—found its way into almost every discussion and conversation in Davos. This is the year for organizations to move from merely dipping their toes in AI waters to using the technology for real business impact. The buzz about DeepSeek’s launch of the R1 open-source reasoning model, which could drastically lower the cost of applying AI and generally democratize technology. For more on AI, see The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier and A generative AI reset: Rewiring to turn potential into value in 2024.
Geopolitics and global cooperation. Considering that the 3,000 attendees represented 130 countries and included 50 heads of state, it’s unsurprising that geopolitics was discussed widely. Businesses are preparing for new US tariffs and opening new trade corridors. It’s time for Europe to take bold action to remain competitive. According to the second annual Global Cooperation Barometer, global cooperation is at a crossroads. The Resilience Pulse Check by the Resilience Consortium suggests that scenario planning will help organizations prepare for a lack of geopolitical clarity that is expected to last a while. For more on this topic, see Geopolitics and the geometry of global trade and Building geopolitical resilience: The people agenda.
Leadership in the 21st century. To be winners in today’s unclear and ever more complex operating environment, organizations must raise the bar on learning and leadership development. Leaders must be more energetic, tech savvy, and resilient than ever, with the ability to work in teams, learn on the job, and spearhead the creation of leadership factories. For more on this subject, see The art of 21st-century leadership: From succession planning to building a leadership factory.
Energy transition and climate action. The wildfires raging in California were a vivid example of the force of climate change. CEOs reported meaningful momentum toward the goal of net-zero emissions, but the world is not making the transition quickly enough to achieve the goals that societies, governments, and the private sector envision. For more on this topic, see Securing minerals for the energy transition.
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For more on these and other topics including talent empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion, brain and women’s health discussed in Davos, explore McKinsey and the World Economic Forum 2025.