{"id":891634,"date":"2026-02-11T05:14:38","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/11\/davos-2026-smart-thinking-needed-for-sovereign-ai-investment\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T05:14:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:14:38","slug":"davos-2026-smart-thinking-needed-for-sovereign-ai-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/11\/davos-2026-smart-thinking-needed-for-sovereign-ai-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"Davos 2026: Smart thinking needed for sovereign AI investment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Davos-Switzerland-World-Economic-Forum-makasana-photo-adobe-ED-USE-ONLY_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" data-credit=\"makasana photo - stock.adobe.com\"  width=\"520\" height=\"173\" alt><\/p>\n<p>makasana photo &#8211; stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"content-header\">\n<h2>Policy-makers need to figure out how they can carve a niche in a world dominated by China and the US<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-center\">\n<ul>\n<li><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i data-icon=\"2\"><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"contributors-block\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ttgtmedia.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Cliff-Saran-Sep-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"Cliff Saran\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/contributor\/Cliff-Saran\">Cliff Saran,<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Managing Editor<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\tPublished: <span>22 Jan 2026 13:05<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"content-body\">\n<p>Policy-makers are being urged to focus on investments in artificial intelligence (AI) in a way that makes sense for the economy. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/publications\/rethinking-ai-sovereignty\/\"><em>Rethinking AI sovereignty<\/em><\/a> paper, published to coincide with the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, recommends that policy-makers reframe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/whatis\/definition\/data-sovereignty\">AI sovereignty<\/a> as strategic interdependence, where localised investments are combined with trusted partnerships and alliances.<\/p>\n<p>The paper, co-authored by the World Economic Forum and Bain &#038; Co, presents data that illustrates the gap between AI infrastructure investment in the US and China compared with other countries.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, it shows that the US and China dominate the investment landscape, capturing about 65% of aggregate global investment in the AI value chain. According to the report\u2019s authors, the outsized presence of the US and China in every element of the AI value chain reflects a full-stack approach that few economies can match, given the scale of investment needed.<\/p>\n<p>Given that AI infrastructure is the backbone of AI competitiveness, smaller and mid-sized economies can be at a disadvantage. However, WEF and Bain &#038; Co believe there is an opportunity. The paper notes that economies that move quickly and strategically channel investments \u2013 through partnerships, focus or shared regional capacity \u2013 can secure a competitive foothold despite limited resources. However, slower responses risk widening capability gaps as hyperscalers and large economies continue to consolidate their dominance.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/meetings\/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026\/sessions\/conversation-with-jensen-huang-president-and-ceo-of-nvidia\/\">In a fireside chat<\/a> at Davos, Nvidia chief <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366634622\/Nvidia-prepares-for-exponential-growth-in-AI-inference\">Jensen Huang<\/a> urged every country to build out their own AI infrastructure.\u00a0\u201cThere\u2019s not one country in the world where [you won\u2019t] need to have AI as part of your infrastructure, because every country has its electricity, you have your roads, and you should have AI as part of your infrastructure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Huang said AI buildouts will involve high-paid jobs for electricians, plumbers and network engineers, who will be needed to build AI datacentres. Rather than economies experiencing job losses arising from greater use of AI in the workforce, Huang described the AI boom as the \u201clargest infrastructure buildout in human history\u201d, which he claimed would create a lot of jobs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful that the jobs are related to tradecraft, and we\u2019re going to have plumbers and electricians and construction and steel workers,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody should be able to make a great living. You don\u2019t need to have a PhD in computer science to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But, according to the WEF and Bain &#038; Co paper, land, energy and water are critical constraints for scaling AI infrastructure within the economy. While some economies will inevitably find it difficult to source the highly skilled workforce they require, WEF and Bain &#038; Co also believe local regulation is playing a part in slowing down AI infrastructure development.<\/p>\n<p>However, in the longer term, some industry bodies do not see regulatory pressure as a constraint, but rather an opportunity to move ahead before other regions regulate datacentre build-outs due to their immense energy usage.<\/p>\n<p>UKAI, the trade body representing the AI industry across the UK, believes high energy costs, grid constraints, complex planning systems and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/opinion\/AI-legislation-in-the-UK-has-anybody-seen-any\">strong public scrutiny<\/a> mean the UK is already operating under the conditions that many other AI economies will soon face. According to UKAI, these pressures are driving innovation in efficiency, system design and coordination, the foundations for greener AI.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"DigDeeperSplash\">\n<h4>\n\t\t\t<i data-icon=\"m\"><\/i>Read more on IT legislation and regulation<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/blog\/Cliff-Sarans-Enterprise-blog\/The-world-needs-more-plumbers-and-electricians\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/digdeeper\/1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/digdeeper\/1_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/digdeeper\/1.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>The world needs more plumbers and electricians<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Cliff-Saran-Sep-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"CliffSaran\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Cliff\u00a0Saran<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366637308\/Davos-2026-attendees-can-navigate-event-with-Salesforce-AI-concierge\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Davos-sign-Switzerland-World-Economic-Forum-SimonMichael-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Davos-sign-Switzerland-World-Economic-Forum-SimonMichael-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/Davos-sign-Switzerland-World-Economic-Forum-SimonMichael-adobe.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Davos 2026 attendees can navigate event with Salesforce AI \u2019concierge\u2019<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Brian-McKenna-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"BrianMcKenna\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Brian\u00a0McKenna<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/whatis\/feature\/How-AI-is-affecting-the-job-market-and-how-workers-can-adapt\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/ai_a279596285_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/ai_a279596285_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/ai_a279596285.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>How AI is affecting the job market and how workers can adapt<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/roller_alison.jpeg\" alt=\"AlisonRoller\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Alison\u00a0Roller<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366626715\/Next-phase-of-fintech-reflected-in-strong-financials-says-World-Economic-Forum\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/banking-finance-growth-fintech-startup-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/banking-finance-growth-fintech-startup-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/banking-finance-growth-fintech-startup-adobe.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Next phase of fintech reflected in strong financials, says World Economic Forum<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Karl-Flinders-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"KarlFlinders\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Karl\u00a0Flinders<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p> Blythe Schewe<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366637503\/Davos-2026-Smart-thinking-needed-for-sovereign-AI-investment\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>makasana photo &#8211; stock.adobe.com Policy-makers need to figure out how they can carve a niche in a world dominated by China and the US By Cliff Saran, Managing Editor Published: 22 Jan 2026 13:05 Policy-makers are being urged to focus on investments in artificial intelligence (AI) in a way that makes sense for the economy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":891635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29985,3094],"tags":[118680,5319],"class_list":{"0":"post-891634","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-davos","8":"category-smart","9":"tag-davos","10":"tag-smart"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/891634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=891634"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/891634\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/891635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=891634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=891634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=891634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}