I was born in 1985, and since then, the world has gone through four major shifts: the arrival of the internet, the rise of smartphones, the dominance of social media, and now the sweeping reach of artificial intelligence.
With the first three, the pattern was familiar. The more time you spend online, the more you feel the need to step outside and breathe real air. Many people still wonder aloud whether we would have been better off without smartphones and social platforms entirely.
But artificial intelligence feels different.
The more I use it, the more I find myself thinking that I should be discovering even more ways to integrate it into my life and work. I have never felt that sense of unlimited possibility with any other technology.
Yet despite its potential, there remains a wide optimism gap. Most people are nervous about AI. Only a small fraction of adults in the United States and Africa believe it will improve the future of work. For me, that collective hesitation signals something important.
When society misunderstands or underestimates a breakthrough, that is often the moment when life-changing opportunities begin. Every major revolution rewards those who lean in while others pull back, and AI is simply a revolution that moves faster than the rest.
The reason I believe so deeply in this moment has as much to do with humanity as it does with technology. The most beautiful part of being human is that each of us carries a story that is completely our own, shaped for us and us alone. People often say they do not know how I manage or that they could never go through what I have gone through, and I understand that.
They are not meant to. Experiences come with a purpose, and that purpose is tailored to the person walking through it. This perspective has changed the way I see the world. I genuinely love learning about other people, their experiences, and their purpose on this earth.
This past year has been a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful that purpose can be. Many people know about my travel schedule. From UNCSW 69, UNGA 80, World Bank Annual Meeting, WSSD Doha, and GOV AI Summit. Another week, I was at the UN conference COP 30 in Belém. Soon after, I was at CES, Google events, Afrotech, San Francisco Tech Week, and the Aspen Festival. Travel became a rhythm and sometimes a lifeline.
What most people do not know is what was happening behind the scenes. During that same period, I was moving beyond terminals and layovers with anxiety. I recovered from surgery. I dealt with a mental breakdown. I am still managing in the cohort with this accelerator program with Wells Fargo, Nasdaq, Geek Ventures, and Lightship. It was emotional. It was exhausting. It was exhilarating. At times, it pushed my anxiety to the edge. Yet through it all, God held me. My community held me. My family held me. And just when I ran into what felt like a wall, I sensed something powerful. I heard, quietly but clearly, that I was ready for a breakthrough.
As the world moves toward 2026, the workplace is transforming in real time. Collaboration looks different. Innovation is constant. Trust is now essential. We are moving beyond conversations about remote or hybrid work and into deeper discussions about AI-powered collaboration, project-based creativity, and culture-driven leadership.
AI has become a true partner, not simply a tool. What began as a preview in 2023 has become a full system of innovation. Companies that embrace AI with intention, empathy, and creativity are seeing the strongest growth. Repetitive tasks are automated. Human minds are freed for strategy, storytelling, and imagination. Work is becoming more efficient but also more deeply human.
That is why the World Economic Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting is so timely. In a world marked by fragmentation and rapid change, the theme A Spirit of Dialogue could not be more important. Progress now requires listening, learning, and challenging perspectives together. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and clean energy will shape the future, but only if we pair opportunity with responsibility.
The importance of meaningful dialogue was reflected in the previous WEF meeting, where Nigeria’s Minister of Finance met with the Group Chairman and CEO of DP World to explore infrastructure investments. Conversations like this do more than outline partnerships. They set the stage for long-term transformation.
The Dream of the Mountain Crucible
After weeks of high-octane travel and the quiet exhaustion of personal recovery, I closed my eyes and allowed myself a moment to visualize the destination that would host this crucial dialogue.
I was expecting to see a quaint village, full of chintzy charm. Instead, I saw the reality: an urban, metropolitan landscape of modern conference buildings and high-rise architecture. Davos, the highest town in Europe, is built for purpose, not pretense. It’s the functional, concrete crucible required for the world’s hardest work. And my first impression of Klosters, arriving by train, was that of a functional town, “Clapham sur la Neige”, which only reinforced that the solutions discussed here must be real and applicable.
The physical challenge of the destination holds a lesson for the delegates. The skiing here is hardcore: the steep black runs and challenging T-bars (those Swiss torture devices!) on mountains like Parsenn and Rinerhorn. Just like the global challenges we are tackling, the environment here is deep, steep, and requires full commitment. I recognized the need for that “side-slip tactic” on the steepest black runs, the necessary humility required of any leader.
The high price tag, the 5chfs for tap water and the 49chfs wine, explains why the pistes were so empty, even during half term. But that lack of crowds is the destination’s ultimate gift. It’s the functional focus that creates the space for genuine, high-stakes dialogue. The opportunity for anyone from a nobody to a Bill Gates to go incognito, put on the helmet and goggles, and truly concentrate. Destination Davos Klosters offers something far more valuable than chintzy charm: focused clarity. This mountain is where the true climb begins.
My Road to Davos: Purpose, Partnership, and Storytelling
As I prepare to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos during my birthday month, I feel a deep sense of purpose. Davos is more than an event. It is a checkpoint for the future we want to build. It is a space where leaders confront the world as it is while imagining the world as it could be.
My mission is clear. I want to champion an AI-driven and human-centered agenda that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals. I want to elevate the cultural and economic stories often overlooked. I want to highlight the beauty and identity of Davos Klosters as a global meeting place where ideas rise as high as the surrounding mountains.
I will be representing Semaform Foundation, ConcordeApp, and the storytelling work of DA News. In the days ahead, I hope to amplify conversations about gender equity, spotlight inclusive leadership, strengthen partnerships around climate resilience and innovation, and explore the cultural richness of Davos Klosters. I look forward to experiencing the food, the hospitality, the mountain air, and the quiet charm of the village that has hosted world leaders for decades.
Davos is not just where decisions are made; it is also where they are shaped. It is where the world climbs higher. This year, I am ready to tell that story from the slopes, from the streets, and from the spirit of a place that invites the world to imagine something better.
By Chaste Inegbedion
