| Forum Stories | | Your weekly curated analysis of the top global issues |
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Welcome to Forum Stories!- In the spotlight this week: Following the Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems Symposium last week, there are plenty of insights to kick off Financial Literacy Month.
- We’re also looking at inclusive AI and the latest developments in the energy transition and green technology.
This week’s newsletter is 1,022 words, a 4-minute read. |
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| 1. Spotlight: Empowering people through financial literacy |  | April is not only a common start of a new fiscal year, it’s also Financial Literacy Month in the US, which promotes financial education and empowerment. And while financial security is a major issue at the individual level, it also represents a global risk.Why it matters: With households increasingly confronted by rising costs connected to ongoing economic pressures and geoeconomic fragmentation, it’s crucial to empower people to make informed decisions, build resilience, and drive inclusive, sustainable economic growth.
Zoom in:- International financial centres, such as Hong Kong, are essential for building resilient and sustainable financial ecosystems, driving much-needed connectivity between countries, writes Carlson Tong, Chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX).
- Global financial fragmentation could cause inflation to rise and see a 5% fall in GDP, according to Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems modelling. For more on how the centre is working to address this and its potential impact on individuals, watch the 2025 Symposium scenesetter and head to the centre page.
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| 2. Towards inclusive AI in Africa | | This week, the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) and Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT & Innovation hosted the inaugural Global AI Summit on Africa. It featured discussions on leveraging AI to foster inclusive economic growth, stimulate innovation and enhance workforce development, while ensuring governance to mitigate risks. Despite complex regional dynamics, Rwanda’s AI initiatives are driving innovation in health and agriculture.- Rwanda’s healthcare sector was struggling 30 years ago, but today it’s thriving. Crystal Rugege, C4IR Rwanda’s Managing Director, explains how AI-enabled decision support tools and LLMs are being used to transform health outcomes in Rwanda.
- The start-up Farmerline is revolutionizing agriculture in Africa with its AI-driven interactive voice response tool, Darli AI. Available in 27 languages, including 20 African languages, Darli serves as a 911 for farmers – providing critical farming insights in a language they understand.
- Read more about the impact of Rwanda’s national AI policy and the work of C4IR Rwanda here.
Why it matters: Africa has the world’s youngest and fastest growing workforce, with a projected 25% of the workforce by 2050, but the continent needs to add around 30 million jobs a year to provide meaningful work for all. AI could boost the African economy by $2.9 trillion by 2030, and help to create jobs and upskill the workforce – if its benefits are shared equitably.
Zoom in:- AI and age: In countries with an ageing workforce, age-proofing AI is both a moral imperative and a business necessity to make sure older workers are not left behind, writes Generation’s David Alexandru Timis.
- Interview selection: More than 80% of companies use AI for candidate screening, but these tools can filter out highly qualified candidates. In a trial of micro1’s AI interviewer to assess technical and soft skills, more candidates went on to succeed in interviews than those who had only had their CV screened by AI.
- Europe’s AI growth: The Forum, together with VivaTech, has now launched its European Centre for AI Excellence (CAIE) in Paris. The new CAIE will promote collaboration to develop responsible AI solutions, boosting innovation, productivity and economic growth.
- Beyond the hype: How are industries deploying AI at the heart of their operations? Find out in this episode of Radio Davos.
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| 3. Powering ahead on the energy transition and green tech | | The world is at a critical crossroads, where short-term decisions with implications for the climate and nature will impact future generations. The Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025 finds that half of the top 10 biggest risks over the next decade are environmental. Against a backdrop of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, countries and companies are still powering ahead with the energy transition.- Africa’s green opportunity: With the critical minerals that are crucial for the energy transition, Africa can develop domestic industries within the green technology and battery manufacturing value chains to become a linchpin of the global clean energy economy, writes the IFC’s Femi Akinrebiyo.
- US renewables on top: Wind and solar power are now generating more electricity than coal. Solar is also the fastest-growing energy source in the US, with 27% growth in 2024.
- But what next for the US? A bipartisan agreement will be key to protecting the planet for the future, writes DNV’s Nunzio Peleggi.
Zoom in:- As decarbonization accelerates, the volume of discarded solar modules, turbine blades and lithium-ion batteries is surging. Proactive management of renewable energy waste is key to a sustainable net-zero future, writes UNDP’s Piyush Verma.
- The global energy transition presents a compelling investment opportunity. Growth equity firms are deploying capital into high-growth businesses that drive decarbonization at scale, write the Forum’s Head of Investor Industries, Katerina Labrousse and General Atlantic’s Rhea Hamilton.
- Industrial clusters are helping the global push to decarbonize across sectors and the entire value chain.
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