Global Future Councils: Experts talk intelligent economies, inclusive growth, collaboration and more in Dubai

Around 500 interdisciplinary experts from 80 countries gathered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this month for the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils (AMGFC).

The gathering, held from 15-17 October, came as the world continues to face critical issues ranging from the global climate emergency to the application of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence. Moreover, the event was held amid a fractured geopolitical backdrop and an escalation of war in the Middle East.

This year, AMGFC was centred around three core themes: innovation for inclusive growth; climate action, nature protection and the energy transition; and building trust for global collaboration.

In Dubai, AMGFC participants gathered to share insights, explore emerging trends and fast-track action aimed at creating a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future. The event, which featured over a dozen public sessions, was also attended by business, government, civil society and media leaders

The meeting kicked off with opening remarks from Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and World Economic Forum Founder and Chairman Klaus Schwab.

"The only constant conviction we recognize every day is that nothing remains stable," Al Gergawi stated. "The primary measure of success for nations, communities and individuals is agility and adaptability."

Moreover, Al Gergawi lauded "unprecedented technological advancement" for transforming many parts of the global economy and stressed that "sustainability and the economy can thrive in harmony."

The event also opened with a plenary featuring Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; Masood Ahmed, President of the Center for Global Development; Jane Burston, CEO of the Clean Air Fund; and Tolu Oni, Clinical Professor of Global Public Health and Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Cambridge.

In a wide-ranging conversation, the panelists discussed everything from advancing the integration of artificial intelligence to boosting private sector efforts to improve air quality. Spurring new avenues to sustainable economic growth was also a major topic of discussion.

"The good news is that the technology for green growth is now more affordable than ever," Ahmed stated. "But financing costs are very high."

Below are more key moments from the public sessions.

Keeping AI on Track

The global economy is in an age of breakthroughs propelled by advances in AI. But what are the trade-offs societies and industries need to manage as AI adoption progresses?

In this session, Erik Brynjolfsson, Director of the Digital Economy Lab at Stanford University, detailed the latest development in AI and its impact on the global economy.

"The time for experimentation is over," Brynjolfsson stated. "This is not just the time to be playing around with technologies. You need to look at ways to deliver real business value, real economic value, real value for your countries."

Reimagining Growth

The IMF predicts 3.2% global growth over the next two years, persistently below pre-pandemic levels. In this session, panelists discussed the potential new avenues of growth and explored how future growth paths can best serve people and the planet.

"Today, the world is very different," said Mona Haddad, Global Director of Trade, Investment and Competitiveness at the World Bank. "We are no longer seeing globalization in the same way."

Paul Gruenwald, the Global Chief Economist at S&P Global, added that new drivers of growth include emerging technologies like AI and opportunities created in the global energy transition. "There is no shortage of global financing ready to finance the global energy transition," Gruenwald said, adding, however, that economies need to be amenable to facilitating the transition.

UAE: The Next Decade

Rapid technological advancements are driving disruption in everything from skills and education to international trade and industry. Meanwhile, a fragmented geopolitical and geo-economic landscape has sidelined traditional models of international cooperation.

In this session, which was moderated by CNN's Rebecca Anderson, panelists explored how the UAE is navigating these headwinds and defining itself in the next decade. Topics ranged from technological advances to economic diversification.

Participants included Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of Education; Maryam Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of State and Secretary-General of the UAE Cabinet; Danny Quah, the Dean and Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore; and Euvin Naidoo, a Distinguished Professor of Global Accounting, Risk and Agility at theThunderbird School of Global Management.

"The core of technologies are the humans and the intellectual capital that drive them, those that use the tools necessary to create impact," Al Amiri stated. "We need to rethink how we approach our education systems. And move toward ones that are built on skills that evolve, and values and value systems that uphold who we are as nations and global citizens."

Green and Fair?

In this session, Andrew Harper, the Special Advisor to the High Commissioner for Refugees on Climate Action at the UN Refugee Agency, and the University of Cambridge's Tolu Oni detailed how the climate crisis is displacing and negatively impacting people worldwide.

"We need to focus more on action — we need to be accountable," Harper stated. "We have a responsibility not only to the 120 million people who have been displaced, but their hosts."

Oni added that cities play a critical role in combating the climate crisis, noting that the majority of greenhouse gases come from cities. She also outlined various innovative approaches to help make urbanization more sustainable.

"We need to address of financing is done in cities so we are better able to advocate for and incentivize intersectoral collaboration," Oni stated, noting that societies need to "better align our processes to the cost on inaction."

Precisely Where Needed

Precision medicine has only scratched the surface of its full potential to push the innovation boundaries in health and healthcare.

In this session, Megan Frisk, the International Affairs Director at the US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, and Faisal Khan, the Director of Precision Medicine Lab, discussed how precision medicine can be used to advance healthcare systems.

"Precision medicine is not just about improving treatment," Khan said. "It is also about avoid ineffective treatments."

Skills in the Age of AI

By 2027, businesses predict that almost half of workers’ core skills will be disrupted. In this session, panelists explored what approaches and opportunities hold the greatest potential to close gaps and prepare people for tomorrow’s economy.

"We don’t know exactly where it is going," said Jo O'Driscoll-Kearney, the Chief Learning Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Holding. "Job creation will focus really on those people who are able to adapt and change and pivot."

Stuart Russell, a Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, added that there are opposing opinions among experts on how quickly AI systems will impact the job market. Russell noted, however, that we are "already seeing significant impact."

Building Bridges for Climate

Ongoing climate negotiations continue to be shaped by equity concerns over emissions, mitigation and adaptation costs. In this session, panelists discussed how the global community can move beyond existing divides to ensure the most vulnerable countries can access the capital and technology needed to combat the climate crisis.

Participants included Gauri Singh, the Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency; Ama Francis, the Climate Director of the International Refugee Assistance Project; Lutfey Siddiqi, the Chief Advisor’s Special Envoy on International Affairs of Bangladesh; Samir Saran, the President, Observer Research Foundation; and Angel Hsu, an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina.

Accelerating Development in the Intelligent Age

Complex risks like tackling climate emergencies and grappling with rising geopolitical tensions are taking a toll on global collaboration. In this session, panelists Megan Palmer, the Director of the International Genetically Engineered Machine Foundation, and Masood Ahmed, the President Emeritus of the Center for Global Development, explore how to safeguard innovation and economic growth while addressing today's challenges.

"The age of intelligence is allowing us to go higher," Ahmed said. "But it is wisdom that will enable us to decide where we end up in the age of intelligence."

The Nexus of Innovation

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution advances, foundational technology domains are converging to create new opportunities. In this session, panelist discussed the potential of technological breakthroughs as well as how the simultaneous development of quantum, robotics and AI can accelerate advancements.

Participants included Chantal Shen, the Chief Scientist of Synthetic Biology at BGI Research; Hoda Al Khzaimi, the Director of the Centre for Cybersecurity at New York University Abu Dhabi; Azeem Azhar, the CEO of Exponential View; and Freeke Heijman.

Collaboration in a More Contested World

The current turbulent geopolitical context has seen a rise of conflict and competition, and a decline of trust in international systems. In this session, panelists explored how the global economy can build innovative pathways of cooperation to advance shared priorities.

Participants included Florence Gaub, the Research Division Director of the NATO Defense College; Qian Liu, the Founder and CEO of Wusawa Advisory, Inc; Sarah Thorn, the Vice President of Global Government Affairs at Walmart; and the National University of Singapore's Danny Quah.

On the issue of stability in the global economy, Thorn noted that "business loves certainty." She added that while companies like Walmart may be able to "pivot and be agile," there are many "small businesses out there that were really benefiting from a global rules-based system."