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The buzzwords shaping Davos 2026: Key terms defining the global conversation
From green growth to inclusive AI, the ideas shaping debates at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026
- PUBLISHED: Mon 19 Jan 2026, 12:00 PM
- By:
- Kushmita Bose
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Global leaders from government, business, academia and civil society will gather in Davos, Switzerland, from 19–23 January 2026 for the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Taking place under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”, the meeting arrives at a time when economic volatility, geopolitical shifts and technological acceleration are reshaping global priorities.
The programme is organised around five interconnected global challenges that call for deeper public–private cooperation. Across all of them, the need for sustainable growth, resilience and innovation remains a unifying thread. As conversations unfold, several key terms and concepts are likely to recur throughout the week.
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Economics and Geopolitics
Green Growth: Despite perceptions that the climate transition is slowing, green investment continues to expand at scale. The green economy is already valued at more than $5 trillion annually and is projected to grow significantly over the coming years.
Delaying investments in climate mitigation and resilience is increasingly seen as a costly miscalculation. For governments and businesses alike, green growth is no longer framed solely as an environmental imperative, but as one of the most compelling economic opportunities globally. Companies with meaningful green revenues are consistently outperforming across multiple financial metrics, reinforcing the case for accelerated action.
Minilateralism: As traditional multilateral frameworks face growing strain, smaller, targeted alliances between countries are gaining traction. Known as minilateralism, this approach focuses on cooperation among limited groups of nations with aligned interests or shared challenges.
Advocates argue that minilateral arrangements can be more agile and effective, particularly when addressing complex issues such as supply chains, climate action or regional security. Rather than replacing multilateralism, minilateralism is increasingly viewed as a complementary tool that can deliver faster, more practical outcomes.
Resilience Economics: Economic resilience has moved from a defensive concept to a central growth strategy. Resilience economics examines how well economies absorb and recover from shocks such as pandemics, climate events, financial crises or geopolitical disruption.
In today’s environment of heightened uncertainty, resilience is no longer just about crisis response. It is becoming a prerequisite for long-term competitiveness, requiring investment in infrastructure, digital capabilities, skills development and financial inclusion. Strengthening resilience is now framed as essential to sustaining growth rather than merely surviving disruption.
Technology
Inclusive AI: Artificial intelligence is already transforming sectors from healthcare and manufacturing to logistics and finance. However, unlocking its full potential depends on how inclusive its development and deployment are.
Inclusive AI emphasises equitable access to digital infrastructure, broader participation in AI design, and widespread understanding of how AI systems function. Embedding fairness, transparency and inclusion throughout the AI lifecycle is increasingly recognised as critical to ensuring that technological progress benefits societies as a whole rather than deepening existing divides.
The Electron Gap: As AI adoption accelerates, electricity has emerged as a strategic asset. The concept of the “electron gap” refers to disparities in power generation capacity between countries, particularly as energy-intensive AI infrastructure expands.
Access to reliable, scalable electricity is becoming a determining factor in technological leadership. Nations that can rapidly expand clean and resilient energy systems are better positioned to support data centres, AI development and digital growth, making energy security a central element of technological competitiveness.
AI Slop: The rise of generative AI has also brought an explosion of low-quality, mass-produced content designed to attract attention rather than inform. Known as “AI slop,” this phenomenon ranges from trivial entertainment to misleading narratives and fabricated images of public figures.
While often dismissed as harmless, such content can influence public opinion and erode trust in information ecosystems. Addressing its impact has elevated discussions around media literacy, platform responsibility and the governance of AI-generated content.
The quantum economy
Quantum technologies are expected to drive the next wave of technological transformation. Encompassing quantum computing, sensing, and secure communications, the quantum economy has the potential to reshape industries from finance and healthcare to energy and transportation.
If challenges around intellectual property, skills shortages and digital inequality can be addressed, the economic value of quantum technologies could reach trillions of dollars in the coming decade. For business and policy leaders alike, preparing for this shift is rapidly moving up the strategic agenda.
As a passionate storyteller and content writer, Kushmita Bose loves weaving narratives that inform, inspire, and entertain. Whether she's unraveling tech revolutions, dissecting industry reports, or bringing a brand’s journey to life, Kushmita thrives on transforming ideas into captivating stories. When she’s not busy crafting content, you’ll probably find her daydreaming about her next travel adventure.
