The Energy Transition in East Asia & Predictions for 2026 | WEF | Top Stories of the Week

This week's top stories of the week include: 0:14 - ‘The world is in a very different place’ Gita Gopinath makes her predictions for 2026: Gita Gopinath, Harvard University economics professor and former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, explains why recent turmoil hasn’t yet shown up in global growth rates. She also discusses the potential of AI, as well as concerns about a bubble, and the threat of ‘jobless growth’. 3:32 - These data centres can regulate their energy consumption using AI: AI data centres use massive amounts of energy, and as data centres multiply, the problem will only become increasingly severe. That’s the thorny knot Emerald AI is bidding to untangle. Here, founder and CEO Varun Sivaram explains how it works - and how it can use AI to reduce local power bills, rather than raise them. 6:36 - How East Asia is succeeding in the energy transition. According to this expert: In countries like China and South Korea, argues UNSW professor Elizabeth Thurbon, the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is framed as a massive opportunity: one that can provide a huge boost to national, #energy and economic security - and whose benefits can be felt and shared by all. 8:39 - Young people, social media and AI: what’s a healthy way forward?: ‘Friendships are awkward and hard and you need a lot of practice. AI companions take all of it away’, says Jonathan Haidt, professor at NYU Stern and critic of social media use in childhood and adolescence. But Gen Z-er Jenny Kim disagrees, and says AI companions provide her with support when her real friends aren’t available. Also on the Davos panel were Bill Ready, CEO of Pinterest, and Adam Grant, psychologist at Wharton School. _________________________________________________________________ The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress. Find out more below: World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/ YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/ Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/  X ► https://twitter.com/wef TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum WhatsApp ► https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDcHBKGZNCihKxwiD0L Threads ► https://www.threads.com/@worldeconomicforum Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF #WorldEconomicForum #wef