• by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, January 20, 2025

The World Economic Forum 2025 arrives at a critical moment, as artificial intelligence reshapes our world, political tensions simmer, and economic uncertainty looms.

The streets of Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, are already packed with the global elite, and despite what AI image generators might suggest, there are absolutely no polar bears roaming around. I bought new boots for the trip -- locals tell me they don't shovel the sidewalks, and navigating these slippery alpine paths is no joke. Getting here wasn't simple -- hotel badges that grant access to the secure zone are about as rare as a warm day in January in Davos, and event tickets are even harder to come by. But the payoff? Extraordinary.

Every conversation seems to circle back to how AI is transforming everything, from the newsroom to the classroom. Add in the persistent challenges of social media and a growing mental health crisis, and you've got the makings of what promises to be one of the most consequential Davos gatherings in years.

The morning kicks off with a must-watch conversation at WSJ House, where Joanna Stern, the Journal's senior personal technology columnist, sits down with OpenAI's Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil. Given the recent AI developments, this promises to be particularly revealing.

Among the most anticipated venues this year is Future House, a powerful collaboration between the groups Human Change and Project Liberty. While Human Change focuses on reshaping the narrative around children's mental health and digital well-being, Project Liberty, launched by Frank McCourt, is working to give people back control of their digital lives. Together, they're convening experts and advocates to tackle some of our most pressing technological challenges. Their first session dives into how technology is fundamentally reshaping our sense of community.

Tuesday brings what should be a fascinating lunch discussion at the Sabic ICEhouse. Bill Gross from ProRata and Nicholas Thompson from The Atlantic have assembled a powerhouse panel on AI and media. David Rhodes from Sky News, Rich Caccappolo from dmg media, and Fortune's CEO, Anastasia Nyrkovskaya, will be tackling the AI elephant in the room: how this technology is transforming everything we thought we knew about media.

The conversation shifts to something deeply personal on Wednesday at Qualcomm Haus, focusing on the youth mental health crisis that's impossible to separate from our "always online" culture.

Later in the week, I'll be joining an extraordinary panel at Future House with Jonathan Haidt, bestselling author of “The Anxious Generation,” Daniel Barcay from the Center for Humane Technology, Professor Gaia Bernstein, and Philip Reiner, CEO of the Institute for Security and Technology. The session will be moderated by Julie Scelfo, founder & executive director of Mothers Against Media Addiction.

The days are packed with sessions, but Davos really comes alive at night. My schedule is already filling up with the WSJ House party, Semaphore house gatherings, and the famous DLD nightcap. It's at these after-hours events where some of the most interesting conversations happen -- when the formal presentations end and the real discussions begin.

The real story of Davos 2025 isn't just about the confluence of power and ideas in this mountain town. It's about a growing recognition that we've reached a critical juncture in our relationship with technology.

The conversations happening here in Davos, whether in conference rooms or over late-night drinks at DLD, might just help determine whether we can harness the transformative power of technology while preserving our humanity and protecting our most vulnerable. In the face of such consequential challenges, the cold hardly matters at all.