The 2026 Imagination in Action forum at Davos brought together 275 leaders from tech, policy, and finance. The consensus? AI strategy is no longer about experimentation but deep institutional change, with a major focus on the next wave of “physical AI.”
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says the massive funding for AI startups with no product is “unsustainable” and looks “bubble-like.” He argues Google is insulated from any crash and maintains a six-month lead over Chinese AI labs.
Embedded finance is delivering real revenue for B2B platforms. The focus has shifted from adding features to perfecting core integrations like payments and digital wallets.
Alphabet Inc. has overtaken Apple in market capitalization, fueled by AI optimism. Meanwhile, CES 2025 was dominated by Chinese humanoid robotics startups showcasing their rapid progress.
A proposed one-time 5% wealth tax in California is forcing the state’s billionaires to make a choice. Their reactions, from moving assets to shrugging it off, highlight a classic split in financial risk tolerance under uncertainty.
A new report details how Western banks are pulling back from financing data centers and AI chip purchases over fears of U.S. regulatory backlash. Deals involving JPMorgan and a $300 million loan for Nvidia hardware are now in limbo.
Elon Musk’s legal battle against OpenAI is moving forward. A judge ruled there’s enough evidence for a jury to decide if the AI giant violated its founding promises by becoming a for-profit entity.
Niko Bonatsos, the investor behind early funding for Discord and the $10 billion startup Mercor, has left General Catalyst. He plans to start a new VC firm focused on young founders and consumer businesses.
JPMorgan’s asset management arm is replacing proxy advisory firms with an internal AI platform called Proxy IQ for all its shareholder votes. Meanwhile, the fragile truce over private equity recruiting has collapsed, with first-year banking analysts interviewing for jobs starting in 20 months.
LinkedIn has rolled out its AI-powered Hiring Pro tool to all English-speaking markets, claiming it can save small businesses more than six hours a week in recruitment. The tool aims to shift hiring to a more skills-based approach, but the real challenge might be changing employer mindsets.
