Is AI your new work buddy or your pink slip in disguise? WEF 2025 Davos has thoughts
- This year at WEF Davos, AI was practically the event’s co-host, sharing the spotlight with American politics.
- AI can be a force for good or bad, but instead of focusing solely on job loss, the finance industry can view it through a wider lens.
Banks, Bots, and Big Ideas; but what’s the deeper insight we’re missing?
Every January, the world’s finance players head to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum (WEF). This year was no exception, running from January 20 to 24 under the theme Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.
AI was last year’s favorite talking point, popping up in nearly every session. This year it was practically the event’s co-host, sharing the spotlight with American politics — the virtual appearance of the newly elected US President, and his polarizing comments about EU regulations, which didn’t exactly win him any fans.
AI: The front and center
At WEF 2025, AI wasn’t just a topic — it was the topic. From business to governance, nearly every session revolved around AI’s impact from different angles. Key discussions included:
- Can National Security Keep Up with AI? (The risks and rewards of AI in defense)
- Who Benefits from Augmentation? (A deep dive into AI-human collaboration)
- Industries in the Intelligent Age (Which sectors are evolving — or disappearing?)
- Media Briefing: Unlocking the North Star for AI Adoption, Scaling, and Global Impact (Finding AI’s true potential)
- State of Play: AI Governance (Balancing innovation and regulation)
- The Dawn of Artificial General Intelligence? (How close are we, really?)
- AI: Lifting All Boats (Can AI drive growth for everyone?)
- Reskilling for the Intelligent Age (Preparing the workforce for what’s next)
Figuring out whether AI is a threat, a tool, or a team player
AI’s influence in banking and financial services has been a hot-button issue for a few years now, and it’s only getting more interesting. Financial leaders at WEF boiled it down to 3 key takes on AI’s role in banking:
1. AI as the job cutter: AI could shake up the job market, with potential job losses in banking as tasks become automated
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