The age of artificial intelligence is “redefining human capabilities”, said the head of the World Government Summit event.
Mohammad Al Ghagawi, UAE Cabinet Minister and Chairman of the World Government Summit Organization, said on Tuesday that AI is one of the four forces reshaping the world, along with advanced medicine, brain science and the new digital environment.
“We are at a moment where human capabilities are being redefined,” he said at the opening of the summit in Dubai on Tuesday.
He pointed out how AI is adding an additional layer of thinking and learning. He also said that the next big discovery will not be in space, but in “an area of new capabilities within the human brain itself.”
Mr. Al Gagawi reflected on advances in advanced medicine and early disease detection. The new digital environment is changing the way people interact, he added.
He said the government needs to think about how to respond to these changes. Governments need to move from bureaucracies to people-centered organizations, he said. “Are our governments ready to deal with what we have become?”
In his opening speech, Al-Gargawi noted that the Greek philosopher Socrates believed that writing weakens memory, and reflected on how human progress throughout history has often been the subject of concern. But Al-Gargawi said the future does not belong to those who are afraid, but to those who have the “boldness and courage” to adapt.
However, he said the government was still using yesterday’s tools to reach the public. “We are seeing the first signs of this tension in the expectations of new generations, especially Gen Z.”
He said this generation will make up nearly 40% of the world’s workforce by 2040 and expects immediate service, continuous learning and a balanced life, “more than just a job and a paycheck.”
“This is a historic opportunity for the government,” he said. “But that requires understanding that the ultimate purpose of government, its first and final mission, is to serve humanity.”
Leaders and decision-makers gathered in Dubai for the summit, which runs until Thursday, as they face geopolitical challenges.
Other celebrities scheduled to speak on Tuesday include investor Ray Dalio, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
Also on the agenda for the first day are Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has emerged as a eurozone economic powerhouse, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, whose government is struggling to rebuild the economy and disarm Hezbollah.
The summit also comes amid heightened tensions due to wars in Ukraine and Sudan and the threat of a U.S. attack on Iran.
Organizers say this year’s gathering is expected to have the largest leadership turnout in history, bringing together more than 40 heads of state and government, 500 ministers and more than 150 governments. At least 6,250 participants are expected.
