Global leaders from various sectors—business, technology, politics, and entertainment—converged at the TIME100 Davos Dinner, marking the commencement of the World Economic Forum’s 55th annual meeting on January 20th. Aligned with this year’s theme, “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, an AI firm, engaged in a discussion with TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs about the future of artificial intelligence.
Amodei, favoring the term “Advanced AI” over “Artificial General Intelligence” due to the latter’s science fiction connotations, stressed the importance of understanding the technology’s realistic potential. He highlighted the need to consider the constraints imposed by physics and human institutions, stating, “We must seriously assess what’s achievable and what currently exists, factoring in physical limitations and institutional boundaries. These limitations will be significant, but they will exist. It’s crucial we start thinking about this; very little of this discussion is happening publicly.”
The event followed President Biden’s inauguration for his second term. His inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent figures including Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and Sundar Pichai.
Expanding on his previous remarks regarding industrialists’ influence on government, Amodei commented, “We’re likely approaching wealth concentration levels comparable to the late 19th century. John Rockefeller’s wealth, for instance, was equivalent to approximately 1.5% of the U.S. GDP. Elon Musk is reaching similar levels now. I’m concerned that, without intervention, AI could exacerbate this, potentially by a factor of five or ten, and I consider that undesirable.”
Looking ahead, Amodei anticipated the emergence of “virtual collaborators” functioning much like human coworkers.
“There will be extensive debates about their usage and economic value. But also, are they safe? Are they causing harm? And, critically, what are the implications for the human economy and job displacement?” he questioned.
While Amodei delivered the keynote address, other leaders offered toasts emphasizing technology’s potential for global benefit. Obiageli Ezekwesili, president of Human Capital Africa and former World Bank vice president for Africa, expressed optimism about technology’s role on the continent. “Africa missed the agrarian and industrial revolutions, but it’s embracing information and communication technology and, with even greater hope, artificial intelligence,” she stated, adding that technology is creating a more level playing field in Africa, enabling talent and determination to drive success rather than privilege. She also highlighted technology’s empowerment of African women and young people, amplifying their voices, scaling their ideas, and connecting them to economic opportunities.
Gita Gopinath, first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), expressed cautious optimism, stating, “I’m increasingly optimistic, although it’s not a simple solution, that technology can aid” in tackling global economic slowdown, climate change, and aging populations.
Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, urged decisive action to halt aggression. “In Ukrainian, ‘freedom’ also means ‘will’,” she said. “True freedom requires the will for peace, security guarantees, sanctions, mutual support, investment in Ukraine, economic strengthening, and making the right choices for our country’s future.”
The TIME100 Davos Dinner was sponsored by SOMPO, Diriyah Company, Technology Innovation Institute, Brandi, and Fortescue.
