What we learned at Davos: signs of hope emerge from the pessimism

Glimmers of hope emerged at Davos that AI and the green transition offer hope for the global economy. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

The world has become hard-wired for pessimism, and there was plenty of it on display in Davos last week.

Much has changed in the 52 years since the World Economic Forum was first held in the Swiss ski resort. At that original WEF summit the global economy was dominated by the rich nations of Europe and northern America, currencies were fixed under the Bretton Woods system, and oil was $2 a barrel.