Global Future Councils: Experts talk AI, climate, jobs and more in Dubai. Here's what to know

Leading experts from across business, academia, government, civil society and media gathered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils.

Over 450 attendees from more than 80 countries discussed and debated opportunities for future advancements and the numerous issues that continue to hamper economic growth and human development. The gathering marked the first in-person meeting of the council members’ two-year term.

The network of Global Future Councils is one of the world’s foremost multistakeholder and interdisciplinary knowledge networks dedicated to exploring a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future. The network's 30 councils, which are embedded in the Forum's 10 centres, focus on topics such as job creation, cybersecurity, international trade, climate and food and water security, among others.

The Dubai meeting kicked off with opening remarks from H.E. Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.

Day one also featured an opening plenary that included several leading participants: Stuart Russell, Professor of Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley; Sally Davies, Master, Trinity College, University of Cambridge; Razan Al Mubarak, United Nations Climate Change High-Level Champions; and Masood Ahmed President, Center for Global Development.

The meeting featured several private gatherings as well as public sessions streamed online with English and Arabic translation.

Day 2: Tuesday, 17 October 2023

What Kind of Growth Do We Need to Sustain Our Future?

This session focused on how long-held assumptions about prosperity and economic growth are increasingly be challenged. The participants explored what economic growth means in the current context, proposed the ideal types of growth and shared ideas on how to create inclusive, sustainable economies.

“We still need growth, but it’s the quality of growth that matters,” said Kumi Kitamori, Deputy Director of the Environment Directorate at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “It needs to be green, and it needs to be inclusive.”

Is AI a Force for Good?

This session focused on how rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to a paradigm shift in established norms and systems.

Panellists also discussed how AI breakthroughs are already transforming the systems in which we operate and how control of AI systems is increasingly becoming a question of power. “[AI] is ultimately the underpinning of the modern 21st century economy,” added Azeem Azhar, CEO of Exponential View.

From Abogamers to Prompt Engineers: Navigating a New World of Work

This session focused on how the global jobs landscape is undergoing rapid transformation brought on by the combination of macrotrends from digitalization to sustainability and a shifting human-machine frontier.

The participants also discussed what novel approaches are needed to ensure access to adequate job training and human capital development. “We have failed to create a system in which the people who need training in response to new technology are not able to access the training,” said Lee Sangheon, Director of the Employment Policy Department of the International Labour Organization.

Day 3: Wednesday, 18 October 2023

AI as a Driving Force for Industry and Economy

Latest studies suggest that generative AI could raise global GDP by 7%, a significant effect for any single technology. In this session, participants explored AI's influence on the economy and discussed how AI-powered productivity growth could impact the current economic headwinds.

“I think what generative AI is actually going to do is make us better,” said Mary Cummings, the Director of the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University.

Quantum Leaps

This session focused on how the latest advances in quantum computing will transform industry and society. Participants discussed advancements ranging from drug design to generative chemistry, and explored quantum's potential to transform industries and supply chains.

Trade in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

From traceability and transparency to better forecasting and inventory control, technology has the potential to transform global trade in a myriad of ways. In this session, panellists explored how technology can be deployed to foster trade and enhance equity and sustainability.

Participants also discussed the various geopolitical headwinds that continue to hamper trade and technological advancements.

Press Conference: Leapfrogging MENA's Sustainability Journey

The Middle East and North Africa is warming at twice the rate of the global average, which will have a huge impact on water, agriculture and liveability. While the private sector in the region generally lags behind comparable regions in sustainability actions, the necessary conditions are in place to leapfrog the sustainability and energy transition.

In this press conference, leaders in the region outlined the optimal pathways to decarbonization in MENA and deliberate the policy toolkit needed to jumpstart the change.

Can Tech Deliver on Its Climate and Energy Promise?

Emerging tech innovations offer a host of solutions with the potential to get the world closer to its net-zero targets, ranging from direct air carbon capture technologies to sophisticated contamination monitoring tools.

This is session, participants explored these advances and detailed how they can be scaled and commercialized to maximize their impact.

The week's public and private meetings allowed experts to draw connections across agendas and generate insights that can improve decision-making in the coming years.

Attendees were tasked with debating the challenges and solutions within the scope of their council and recommending 1‐3 top priorities that can create transformative change around specific issues areas.

Following the summit, the Forum will publish the councils’ recommendations in a consolidated publication, which can be a tool for global leaders looking for inspiring ideas. The publication will be shared ahead of or shortly after the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2024.