Klaus Schwab’s Call for Cooperation and Collaboration in the Intelligent Age

The 21st century is, so far, being defined by its dramatic leap in intelligent technologies—a leap that has brought humanity into an era I call the Intelligent Age, in which large segments of global society now have access to unprecedented technological intelligence. These technologies are becoming deeply ingrained in our everyday lives and changing the world at the most profound individual and international levels.

Artificial intelligence is, unsurprisingly, the linchpin of this transformation. It has rapidly evolved from a specialized tool to a general-purpose technology that, like electricity and the steam engine, is reshaping industries, economies, and even the way we think about ourselves. This surge of technological development comes, not surprisingly, at the same time that the world is grappling with global challenges that demand our immediate, and collective, attention and action.

AI is empowering us beyond the limitations of our natural human cognition. It is bringing an entirely new level of efficiency and insight to everything from health care diagnostics to climate modeling. We need AI to help us tackle the complex, systemic problems that no individual stakeholder, or stakeholder group, could solve alone. Yet, as I have said previously about Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, the opportunities they present also bring profound risks—social, political, and economic disruptions that we must navigate with care.

One of the most striking aspects of recent years is how quickly AI has been embedded into everything around us. The same science that powers autonomous vehicles and generative language models is transforming how we conduct research, teach our children, and maintain our infrastructure. Intelligent technologies—quantum computing, biotechnology, spatial computing and blockchain—are intelligent because they are being enhanced and enabled by AI. This is extremely promising, but we have significant responsibilities to one another to make sure these developments do not do more harm than good.

As intelligent technologies rapidly advance, the risk of creating a cascading effect of uneven benefit distribution is increasing in equal proportion. Some groups and regions are advancing rapidly, propelled by access to cutting-edge applications. Meanwhile, others are at risk of being left behind, creating divisions that could deepen social and economic inequalities for generations. Without international cooperation and collaboration, disparities in access to digital knowledge and resources could entrench unwanted outcomes, leaving large swaths of the global population struggling to catch up.

The geopolitical implications are also profound. We see significant movements from global players, such as the U.S. and China. While the U.S. has historically been a leader in emerging technologies, China has made this realm a clear national priority. It is tempting to view these developments through the lens of competition, but there is even more at stake. It is crucial to recognize that these technologies sit at the very center of global transformation. They have the potential to benefit or unsettle all of us. Humanity’s success does not lie in predicting which nation will emerge as the leader in AI—what really matters is working together to navigate these changes in a way that ensures the well-being and prosperity of people everywhere.

The Intelligent Age, therefore, is not merely about developing intelligent technologies. It is also about ensuring that humanity remains intelligent in how we wield these tools. We need to cultivate wisdom alongside innovation. This means transcending the narrow focus on short-term gains and understanding the broader, interconnected nature of the challenges we face. It means overcoming differences and fostering a spirit of cooperation and collaboration, where dialogue remains open, productive, and inclusive.

Above all, it means ensuring that the progress we achieve is measured by the benefit to humanity as a whole—the health of our planet and the well-being of its people. 

Make no mistake. We are at a critical juncture. We lack a comprehensive framework to address the deeply interconnected challenges of our time, including climate change, economic inequality, and geopolitical fragmentation. While the natural inclination may be to retreat into silos, to focus on what is within our immediate control, or to compete for limited resources, the challenges of the Intelligent Age cannot be solved in isolation. They require a holistic approach that acknowledges the importance of every stakeholder—governments, businesses, research institutions, civil society, and individuals. This is why the theme for this coming year’s Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos will be “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”

The Intelligent Age is a time to think boldly and act collectively. With intelligent technologies, we possess the potential to solve complex problems that were previously out of reach. We can realize their potential only if we recognize our own shared humanity and shared responsibility. We must leverage intelligent technologies with wisdom, ensuring they serve us in building a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future. Let us embrace this opportunity—to use the tools we have created not only to advance, but also to advance wisely, and together.