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This time of year, Davos is expected to be icy. Part of the allure is witnessing the world’s elite trudge through the streets donned in elegant suits and snow boots. Yet this year, it feels unusually warm, with highs reaching the mid-30s, just above 1°C. The conditions when I departed from New York were colder and undeniably snowier. I’ve been informed that this is due to a phenomenon known as a föhn, a warm and dry wind sweeping across the Alps.
I’m not a weather expert, but it’s evident that there’s plenty of hot air present.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump arrived in Davos to speak to the assembly, and he held court for over 90 minutes, navigating through topics such as the economy, Greenland, windmills, Switzerland, Rolexes, Venezuela, and drug pricing. His speech was filled with complaints, grievances, and blatant inaccuracies.
One minor example: Trump emphasized the claim that China, although the leading nation in manufacturing wind turbine parts, does not actually utilize them for energy production. In truth, it is the global leader in generation, too.
I didn’t get to witness this spectacle from inside the event. What a pity!
By the time I made it to the Congress Hall where the speech was taking place, there was already a substantial crowd of people vying to enter.
I had just finished moderating a panel on “the intelligent co-worker,” meaning AI agents in the workplace. I was genuinely looking forward to this, as the speakers reflected a diverse cross-section of the AI landscape. Christoph Schweizer, CEO of BCG offered the macro strategic perspective; Enrique Lores, HP CEO, contributed insights on both hardware and large businesses, Workera CEO Kian Katanforoosh had the insider perspective on workforce training and transformation, Manjul Shah CEO of Hippocratic AI discussed working within the critical domain of healthcare, and Kate Kallot CEO of Amini AI provided insights on the global south, particularly Africa.
Interestingly, most of the panel avoided using the term co-worker, with some outright rejecting the label agent. Yet, the narrative they painted certainly portrayed a vision of humans collaborating with AI to enhance capabilities. Shah, for instance, spoke about having agents reach out to 16,000 people in Texas during a heat wave to conduct health and safety checks. It was an engaging discussion. You can watch the entire session here.
However, as the session concluded, the throng of people outside the Congress Hall was too dense for me to gain entry. In fact, I couldn’t even access a nearby overflow room. I did manage to get into a third overflow area, but it required navigating through a sea of people, so tightly packed together that it reminded me of being at a Turnstile concert.
The speech far exceeded its scheduled time, and I had to leave early to attend another discussion. Strolling through the halls while Trump spoke was an exceedingly surreal experience. He had truly captivated the attention of the assembled global elite. I don’t believe I saw anyone who wasn’t focused on a laptop, phone, or iPad, all streaming the same video.
Trump is scheduled to speak again on Thursday in an impromptu address to unveil his Board of Peace. As I’ve heard, Elon Musk will also be speaking. It’s poised to be another significant day for attracting elite attention.
However, I should clarify, there are elites, and then there are elites. Various methods exist to distinguish who is who. One such method is the color of your badge. I possess a white participant badge, as I was moderating panels. This grants access to nearly everywhere, thus functioning as a sort of status symbol. Another differentiator is your accommodations. I’m in Klosters, a nearby town that’s a 40-minute train ride from the Congress Centre. Not particularly elite.
There are subtle ways of sorting out status as well. Yesterday, I learned that when individuals inquire whether it’s your first time in Davos, it sometimes serves as a way to gauge your significance. If you are of any considerable importance, you’ve likely been attending for years.
However, the most amusing instance I’ve had so far occurred when I engaged in small talk with the woman beside me while changing back into my snow boots. It turned out that, like me, she splits her time in California. “But I don’t think I’ll remain there much longer,” she remarked, “due to the new tax legislation.” This was just a frosty display of superiority.
Because California’s newly proposed tax law? It exclusively affects billionaires.
Welcome to Davos.
