Klaus Schwab, chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), called on global governments during an event in Dubai to work together and control new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to decide the fate of humankind, going against Elon Musk’s recent warning at the same event. In 2015, Schwab wrote a book called The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which discussed more than 20 technologies that would change the world, such as cryptocurrencies. Schwab noted that these technologies have become a reality and humanity is now entering the “exponential phase” of technology transformation. He listed AI, metaverse, space tech, and synthetic biology as some of the technologies that will change the world, adding that whoever masters these technologies will be the master of the world. Synthetic biology is the engineering of organisms to develop unique purposes and abilities that are not naturally available. The WEF is a proponent of this methodology.
Schwab expressed his concern that if people do not understand the changes that are occurring, they may become fearful and react negatively. He urged governments to have the ambition and the vision to show that these technologies can serve for the good. He also warned of new technologies getting out of control if governments do not work together to form policies. His call for close cooperation between governments globally to shape the future of the human race stands in stark contrast to that of industrialist Elon Musk, who on Wednesday warned at the World Government Summit against a “single world government.”
At the World Government Summit, Schwab did not specify what system he believes the world should adopt in the future. However, in an interview with Chinese state-run television network CGTN in November, Schwab praised China as a “role model” for other nations. In Dubai, Schwab also pushed forward his “stakeholder” ideology, which gives more control to those who already control society.