Børge Brende, introduced by CNN as the chief executive of the World Economic Forum, used a recent media appearance to lay out a broad view of how new technologies intersect with shifting global power dynamics. The discussion comes as policymakers around the world grapple with an accelerating wave of artificial intelligence, digital platforms and advanced manufacturing, and as the balance among major powers becomes more contested.

Brende’s framing emphasized that technology is not merely an economic driver but a strategic asset that influences diplomatic leverage, industrial policy and norms-setting. The World Economic Forum, long known for convening business and political elites, has increasingly positioned itself as a forum for debating how markets, states and civil society can develop shared rules for fast-moving technologies. That role places the organization at the center of debates over standard-setting and the governance of digitally enabled infrastructure.

The intersection of technology and geopolitics is manifest in several arenas. Competition over semiconductors and critical minerals has turned industrial policy into an instrument of strategic competition. Advances in AI raise questions about labor, security and the ethical boundaries of automated decision-making. Meanwhile, divergent regulatory approaches—from Europe’s emphasis on privacy and competition to other states’ prioritization of national security—threaten to produce a fragmented global digital order. For middle powers and emerging economies, these trends create both new opportunities for leapfrogging development and risks of exclusion from vital supply chains and data flows.

Brende’s remarks, presented to a global CNN audience, underline the diplomatic task ahead: forging interoperable rules that can reduce the risks of technological fragmentation while preserving space for national policy differences. This will require mechanisms that are inclusive of regions often sidelined in high-level forums. African, Latin American and South Asian policymakers have repeatedly warned that global tech governance debates risk being dominated by wealthy capitals and private platforms if multilateral engagement does not broaden.

International law and existing multilateral institutions will be tested. Treaties and norms traditionally designed around physical goods and state behavior must be reimagined for digital goods, data sovereignty and the cross-border effects of algorithmic systems. That presents both procedural challenges—how to build consensus among diverse stakeholders—and substantive ones, such as aligning competition policy with digital ecosystem governance.

The stakes extend beyond regulation. How the world organizes investment, education and industrial strategy in response to technological change will shape long-term economic trajectories and political influence. For global businesses and national governments attending forums like Davos, the message is increasingly clear: technological leadership will be a key determinant of economic resilience and diplomatic weight.

As discussions continue in Geneva, Brussels, New Delhi and Beijing, the practical question will be whether convening power translates into concrete agreements that balance innovation, equity and security. The WEF’s role in fostering those conversations is consequential; whether it can help build durable, inclusive frameworks for technology governance remains an open and urgent test for multilateralism.