The AI Economy: An Engine for Local Growth
Watch the live premiere on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 | 11 am ET / 5 pm CEST
The AI Economy: An Engine for Local Growth
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape economies, its potential to drive massive global growth is undeniable. The International Data Cooperation (IDC) estimates that through 2030, AI will contribute $19.9 trillion to global GDP and drive 3.5% growth. However, realizing this potential requires careful attention to how and where AI expands, and who is included in its growth.
Our Global Stage event will examine the emerging AI economy, the potential for enormous benefits to society, but also the investments necessary to ensure equitable diffusion and adoption, particularly in the Global South.
Becky Anderson, Anchor & Managing Editor of CNN Abu Dhabi, will moderate a conversation with:
- Ian Bremmer, President and Founder, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media
- Nadia Calviño, President, European Investment Bank
- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, WTO
- Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
- Peng Xiao, CEO, G42
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Speakers
Ian Bremmer, President and Founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media
Ian Bremmer is a political scientist who helps business leaders, policy makers, and the general public make sense of the world around them. He is president and founder of Eurasia Group, the world's leading political risk research and consulting firm, and GZERO Media, a company dedicated to providing intelligent and engaging coverage of international affairs. Ian is an independent voice on critical issues around the globe, offering clearheaded insights through speeches, written commentary, and even satirical puppets (really!). Ian is the host of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, a weekly show airing on US public television.
Nadia Calviño, President, European Investment Bank
President Nadia Calviño is a Spanish economist and lawyer with a 30+ year career in public policy, economics and finance. She has held several prominent positions within the Spanish government and the European Commission.Ms. Calviño served as First Vice-President of Spain and Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise until December 2023. Prior to that role, she held various positions, including Second Vice-President and Minister for Economy and Digitalization (March-July 2021), Third Vice-President and Minister for Economy and Digitalization (2020-2021) and Minister for Economy and Business (2018-2020).
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, WTO
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the seventh Director-General of the WTO. She took office on 1 March 2021, becoming the first woman and the first African to serve as Director-General. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with over 40 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. Dr Okonjo-Iweala was formerly Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. She was previously on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc.
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
As Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Brad Smith is responsible for spearheading the company’s work and representing it publicly on a wide variety of critical issues involving the intersection of technology and society, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy, environmental sustainability, human rights, digital safety, immigration, philanthropy, and products and business for non-profit customers. He leads a team of roughly 2,000 business, legal and corporate affairs professionals located in 54 countries and operating in more than 120 nations.
Peng Xiao, CEO, G42
Peng Xiao is a global technology and business leader with a track record of building breakthrough products, delivering customer successes, and achieving commercial results.As CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Group42 Ltd., Peng is responsible for crafting the Group’s business and product strategies, and overseeing the operating companies across numerous industry verticals, including smart city, healthcare, energy, finance and education. The group has developed world-class solutions in AI, big data analytics, mobile technology, and cloud computing, and its offerings are delivered to a wide range of commercial and government clients.
Becky Anderson (moderator), Anchor & Managing Editor of CNN Abu Dhabi
Becky Anderson is one of CNN International’s highest profile anchors. She hosts Connect the World with Becky Anderson, which airs weekdays at 5:00pm UAE time. She is based at CNN’s Abu Dhabi bureau, where she also serves as Managing Editor. In these roles Anderson has a distinctive regional perspective on some of today’s most important news stories, including the emerging politico-economic trends in the Gulf, the regional rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the deepening humanitarian crisis stemming from years of political instability in Syria and Iraq.GZERO Media Events
