The World Economic Forum concluded its 2026 Annual Meeting this week with record-setting participation as the meeting brought together more than 3,000 participants from 130 countries, including 830 chief executives and board chairs and nearly 65 heads of state and government. The Forum President and CEO Børge Brende described the turnout as a record and a signal of leaders’ continued commitment to multistakeholder engagement.
The Forum has announced plans to launch five new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, expanding its global network focused on shaping policies and governance frameworks for emerging technologies.
The new centres will be established in France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and India, with areas of focus including artificial intelligence, frontier technologies, cyber resilience and the energy transition. The centres will work with governments, businesses and civil society to pilot policy solutions and promote responsible innovation.
The expansion strengthens the Forum’s Fourth Industrial Revolution Network, launched in 2017 to help countries adapt to rapid technological change while balancing economic growth with societal trust.
“The purpose of the week — and the Forum’s work throughout the year — is to create a trusted space for dialogue, not an echo chamber of consensus,” Brende said in a post following the meeting, noting that disagreement is often necessary to address complex global challenges.
He emphasized that responsible development of artificial intelligence, strengthening markets and facilitating conflict-related engagement require direct dialogue among decision-makers who do not always share the same views.
The 2026 meeting was co-chaired by Larry Fink and André Hoffmann, whom Brende credited for their sustained commitment to the Forum’s mission.
The Annual Meeting concluded with calls from Forum leaders to sustain open dialogue beyond Davos, particularly as global divisions deepen. Brende said history shows that progress is made not through isolation, but when leaders continue to engage during challenging moments.
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