Summer Davos 2026 Opens in Dalian with Record Participation

The World Economic Forum’s 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions — widely known as the Summer Davos Forum — officially opened on June 23, 2026, in Dalian, China, drawing over 1,700 participants from more than 90 countries and regions in what organizers describe as the largest edition in the forum’s history.

Running through June 25 at the Dalian International Conference Center, the three-day gathering brings together heads of state, business leaders, academics, and innovators under the theme “Innovating at Scale” — a call to bridge the persistent gap between technological breakthroughs and broad-based economic benefits.

A Forum at a Critical Juncture

This year’s Summer Davos arrives at a moment of heightened global economic uncertainty. Trade tensions have reshaped supply chains, with approximately 11% of global trade affected by tariff measures since early 2025. The World Trade Organization projects merchandise trade growth will slow sharply from 4.6% in 2025 to just 1.9% in 2026. Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted energy markets, and nearly 90% of chief economists surveyed by the World Economic Forum expect global growth to decelerate further.

Against this backdrop, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is attending the opening ceremony to deliver a special address, underscoring China’s role as a key driver of global economic momentum. As CCTV News reported, the forum features over 200 thematic sessions across four levels of the venue, with meeting rooms increased by more than ten compared to previous editions.

AI Takes Center Stage

Artificial intelligence dominates this year’s agenda, with over ten AI-focused sessions scheduled on Day One alone. Sessions range from broad explorations like “AI Everywhere, Not at Once” to niche topics such as “AI and the Material World” and “AI’s Water Dilemma.” The World Economic Forum noted a notable shift in this year’s conversation — from AI’s theoretical potential to the practical challenges of implementation, including how to generate tangible economic returns and mitigate risks.

Mirek Dušek, the Forum’s Managing Director, captured the sentiment in a preview podcast: “We’re really living through an age of exponential technological advancement. But you could argue that right now we’re getting into a place where it’s really all about, how do you make it count for the real economy? How do you broaden the impact of those innovations in industry, economy, society, across markets?”

Five Pillars of Discussion

The agenda is organized around five key thematic pillars. The first, “Prospering Amid Trade & Industrial Shifts,” examines how governments can protect strategic industries without fracturing the global economy. The second focuses on China’s next development phase as the country embarks on its 15th Five-Year Plan, transitioning from high-speed growth to innovation-driven “New Quality Productive Forces” in clean energy, semiconductors, and biotech.

The third pillar addresses the critical question of translating technology investment into real economic output — a challenge underscored by sluggish productivity growth despite record AI investment. The fourth explores jobs and opportunities for the next generation, with an estimated 40% of global jobs exposed to AI in some form. The fifth tackles the competitive energy and climate transition, balancing AI’s growing energy demands with clean energy commitments.

Record Scale and Green Innovation

This year’s forum has set multiple records. According to Baidu Baike, over 1,700 participants from more than 90 countries are attending, and the core venue is powered entirely by green electricity for the first time. The forum has also released over 15 research reports covering the global economy, technology trends, and the energy transition.

Notable visiting foreign leaders include the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Guinea, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mongolia, and Montenegro, reflecting the forum’s expanding global reach.

A significant shift in this year’s program is the increased emphasis on social equity and livelihoods. Sessions are specifically addressing workplace changes driven by AI, youth employment challenges, the transformation of entry-level jobs, and opportunities for women in technology innovation. The forum has also introduced more interactive formats, including podcast interviews, closed-door leadership dialogues, art exhibitions, and immersive experiences.

What to Watch

As the forum progresses, key outcomes to monitor include potential frameworks for AI governance, concrete policy recommendations on trade and tariffs, and announcements regarding China-focused investment opportunities. The WEF press release emphasized that over 50 sessions will be streamed online, offering public access to discussions on topics ranging from “The Future of US-China Relations” to “The Next Billion Jobs.”

With the global economy at a crossroads and technology advancing at an unprecedented pace, the discussions in Dalian this week may well shape the trajectory of international economic cooperation for years to come.