What’s in the World Economic Forum 2025 for India?

A Better Question: What’s in It for Asia and the World?

January 20, 2025

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2025 meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which starts on Jan. 20, is attended by several Indian officials, including Union and state ministers and three chief ministers. However, its coverage within India primarily focuses on the country’s economic interests, overshadowing the theme of this year’s meeting. This theme – Collaboration for the Intelligent Age – is crucial for both India and Asia at large, as well as for the people living on this continent.

To draw attention to the theme, Klaus Schwab, the founder and chairman of WEF’s Board of Trustees, has written an article, featured on the website of the WEF, an international organisation that engages political, business, cultural and other leaders to shape global agendas on economic, social and environmental issues.

Schwab’s article introduces the term “Intelligent Age,” which he says goes beyond the Fourth Industrial Revolution he identified several years ago.

In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital, physical and biological worlds started to merge, causing major changes in how people work and live. That was the time when technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology began to merge. For example, robots and AI started performing tasks in factories, changing how people worked. In healthcare, genetic engineering and advanced machines helped doctors treat diseases more effectively. Smartphones and the internet connected people worldwide, making communication faster and easier. These innovations brought the digital, physical and biological worlds closer together, transforming daily life.

Intelligent Age

Now, Schwab argues that we have entered a new phase where AI, quantum computing (phenomena that perform operations on data much faster than traditional computers) and blockchain (securing transactions, contracts and other data in a decentralised and transparent manner) are not only transforming industries but also changing how society functions at a deeper level.

Before we explore Schwab’s arguments, let look at its crux using the analogy of a family adopting new technology, like a smart home system.

The family is excited because the system can automate chores, improve energy efficiency and make life easier. However, the family soon realises that without planning and cooperation, the benefits could create problems.

For example, if only one family member learns how to use the system, they might control everything, leaving others confused and frustrated. This is like Schwab’s concern about technological benefits being concentrated in the hands of a few. To avoid this, the family needs to work together, teaching everyone how to use the system and setting rules to ensure it works fairly for all.

Further, the smart system also uses a lot of electricity, so the family decides to invest in renewable energy to avoid high bills and environmental harm. Furthermore, if the system malfunctions or is hacked, the family needs a plan to protect their privacy and security.

By working as a team, the family ensures the smart home system improves their lives without creating divisions or new problems. Schwab’s vision for the Intelligent Age follows the same idea—collaboration, fairness and careful planning are essential to ensure that new technologies benefit everyone.

Now that we understand the importance of the WEF’s theme for 2025, let’s analyse his key arguments.

Pros and Cons

In the article, he warns that the Intelligent Age can either raise everyone’s living conditions or divide us further. AI and automation, for instance, can improve healthcare by helping doctors diagnose diseases more accurately and discover treatments more efficiently. At the same time, these technologies can replace millions of jobs if social systems and policies do not adapt. Schwab suggests that businesses and governments must adopt measures such as retraining programs and fair economic policies, so the benefits of technology do not stay in the hands of a few but spread across entire populations.

For instance, a factory worker whose job has been replaced by robots could be trained in programming or machine maintenance. Similarly, governments could implement fair economic policies, such as taxing tech companies that benefit from automation and using that revenue to fund social programs, universal basic income or affordable education. Businesses could also introduce profit-sharing models where employees receive a share of the benefits gained from technology-driven efficiency. These measures would help ensure that technological advancements benefit everyone, not just a small group of people or corporations.

The Intelligent Age also brings the possibility of smarter and more efficient cities. Urban centers are connecting devices and sensors to regulate traffic and energy, resulting in cleaner environments. Virtual spaces, like the metaverse (Roblox, Decentraland and The Sandbox, etc.), are online environments where people can interact, work, and play using digital avatars. In these spaces, people can socialize with others, attend virtual events like concerts or meetings, and even buy or own digital items, such as virtual clothes, art, or property, using digital currencies. These experiences blur the line between the real and digital worlds, creating new ways for people to connect and participate in activities without being physically present.

This merging of physical and digital realities changes our ideas about community, privacy and property.

Another concern is the energy consumption demanded by some of these new technologies. Cryptocurrency mining and AI-related computing can burn through vast amounts of power, so Schwab urges us to find ways to make sure the Intelligent Age remains sustainable. If technology pushes the planet’s resources to the limit, any advantages might come at too high a cost. By developing renewable energy methods, societies can harness the power of AI, quantum computing and blockchain without harming the environment.

Governments’ Role

Schwab thinks that to make this new era successful, governments and businesses need to understand its social, environmental and global impacts. He explains that AI already influences what we see online and how we communicate. If the systems behind AI are biased or unfair, they could increase inequalities. Schwab also warns that advanced technologies like AI might shift the balance of power between countries, creating new risks.

For example, social media platforms use AI algorithms to decide what content people see in their feeds. If these algorithms promote misleading information or favour certain groups over others, it could create social divisions or spread misinformation. Similarly, AI-driven military tools or space technologies could give some countries more power, leading to tensions or competition among nations.

To prevent these problems, Schwab suggests that countries collaborate to create fair rules and ensure technology benefits everyone.

Finally, Schwab calls for international cooperation under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” He argues that the world’s leaders, innovators and citizens should create shared rules and goals for emerging technologies. This would ensure that countries large and small have a say in shaping the future. According to Schwab, we have a short window of time to guide these developments in a way that benefits everyone. If we do not act, the same technologies that promise better health, prosperity and sustainability may end up deepening the inequalities in our world.

With a large workforce and growing tech industries, India stands to benefit from global cooperation in skill development, ethical AI policies and sustainable energy solutions.

Asia, being home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and diverse populations, requires strong collaboration to manage the opportunities and risks of the Intelligent Age. Shared frameworks for technology use, resource management and education can help Asian nations address disparities, drive innovation and build sustainable economies. Regional cooperation can also prevent competition from escalating into geopolitical tensions.