THE TAOISEACH IS taking part in a panel discussion on the ‘hard power of artificial intelligence’ at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland today. 

Leo Varadkar arrived in Davos yesterday and his visit will extend to tomorrow. He has said that he will take advantage of the nexus of business and global leaders attending the event to promote Ireland’s economic interests, and also to engage on the need for a ceasefire in war torn Gaza. 

The Davos conference has already featured some controversy. Yesterday Argentina’s new libertarian President Javier Milei slammed socialism as a “threat” to the West in a fiery speech to political and business elites. 

The self-described “anarcho-capitalist” took aim at “social justice” and “radical feminism”, while praising entrepreneurs as “heroes” at the exclusive conference in the Swiss Alps.

He also told business leaders that the State is not the “solution”, speaking in relation to poverty, and that they are the “true protagonists in this story”.

At today’s panel discussion, he will speak about the “opportunity” for AI to help solve some of the “most difficult challenges in society”, but he will also stress the need for AI to be deployed in an “ethical, people-centred way,” a spokesperson has said. 

Other speakers will include Nick Clegg, the former Liberal Democrats party leader in the UK who is now the President of Global Affairs at Facebook (Meta), Kristalina Georgierva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, the editor-at-large of the New York Times and Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

The World Economic Forum has billed the discussion as a deep dive into how AI is changing geopolitics through shifts in data ownership and infrastructure, which will “reshape sovereignty and influence”. 

It will look at how the landscape of data ownership is evolving and what this means for “international architecture”.

The Davos conference is highly exclusive and costly to attend, though political leaders do not pay to be there.

For those in business, tickets cost $19,000, and they can only be purchased if you are a member of the economic forum, which has a membership fee of $52,000. 

Varadkar will speak at a dinner hosted by Ireland’s Foreign Direct Investment Agency for business leaders with investments or interests in Ireland.

He has said that he will be highlighting Ireland’s “enormous economic potential” and “rich pool” of workers. 

Speaking ahead of his discussion about AI, Varadkar said that technological developments in the area are moving ahead quickly, and that it is important to ensure we are well positioned to “make the most of the opportunities they present”, while guarding against “negative risks for our societies and democracies”. 

President of the Eurogroup and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe will travel to the Swiss Alps to attend the meeting as well today, where he will take part in a discussion on ‘Uniting Europe’s Markets’. 

He will also have a series of meetings with global business leaders.

- Additional reporting by AFP