At a time when global attention is focused on geopolitical economic fluctuations brought by former U.S. President Trump and the AI investment boom, the ongoing World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting is attempting to find a stable anchor amidst the noise. In an exclusive interview in Davos, the Chief Economist of the Economist Intelligence Unit, Constance Hunter, discussed how businesses can navigate the fog of political cycles and how technological revolutions can be genuinely translated into growth momentum in an era "craving certainty."
AI is entering a phase of "concrete application," with China demonstrating technological leadership. Hunter noted that discussions about AI are shifting from abstract concepts to specific application scenarios. "During this year's Davos meeting, most entrepreneurs I encountered were involved in AI-related businesses," Hunter observed. "People are no longer discussing AI abstractly but are focusing on specific implementation scenarios."
Hunter pointed out that AI is generating a large number of entirely new job roles, many of which did not exist just one or two years ago. At the Economist Intelligence Unit, team productivity has significantly increased through the use of cloud-based programming tools. The organization's newly launched internal AI agent enables natural language interactive queries of historical data (dating back to 1956), capable of directly generating research-based answers and tracing them back to source documents. She believes this indicates that the core value of AI is increasingly being realized as "augmenting existing capabilities."
Addressing concerns about whether technological proliferation could exacerbate global inequality, Hunter emphasized that the key lies in design: "If designed properly, AI should be universal—everyone should be able to use it." Using her own team as an example, she noted that even the oldest member is proficient with AI tools, concluding that "technology adoption ultimately depends on personal choice and product accessibility."
Looking ahead, she predicts AI will have a disruptive impact in two frontier areas: in healthcare, by "shortening the time-to-market for life-saving drugs, potentially significantly extending life expectancy over the next decade"; and in robotics, where "using video data processing as a foundation for enhancing robotic applications" will be a critical breakthrough direction.
When asked if she had engaged with Chinese tech companies during the annual meeting, Hunter mentioned that while there were no exchanges on this trip, as a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations participating in the "U.S.-China Economic Track II Dialogue," she visits China almost every year and has witnessed its rapid technological progress firsthand. "The DJI equipment used for this interview is a case in point," she noted, adding that "Chinese entrepreneurs and innovators have contributed greatly to the world."
Electric vehicles are just one example of China's technological leadership. Having personally experienced BYD vehicles, Hunter stated that "if we are to address climate change, global electrification is essential, and China is a leader in these technologies."
Addressing climate challenges requires technological breakthroughs; E, S, and G should not be rigidly bundled. The UN Environment Programme's "2025 Adaptation Gap Report: Treading Water" indicates that by 2035, developing countries will require over $310 billion annually for adaptation funding—12 times the current international public adaptation finance flows—reflecting that climate impacts are accelerating while adaptation funding is not keeping pace.
Confronting the shortfall in climate investment, Hunter highlighted two key challenges: first, the need for cooperation, which is inherently difficult; and second, that humans are not always adept at considering long-term consequences. The mindset of investing today and enduring short-term pain for long-term gain is crucial for solving climate issues. However, she places hope in technological breakthroughs: "Quantum computing may become viable within the coming years, and combined with AI's research capabilities, nuclear fusion might soon become a reality, providing low-cost clean energy. Therefore, while current investment is important, the key to saving the climate lies not only there; true breakthroughs will come from technological advancement and innovation."
Regarding mechanisms for private capital participation in green projects, Hunter noted that the challenges are long-standing. Historically, governments have promoted projects in emerging markets through public-private partnerships, offering financing incentives, or investment guarantees. Emerging markets have an opportunity to "leapfrog" by adopting green technologies, similar to Africa "skipping the landline era and moving directly to mobile communications." When technologies like wind, solar, and geothermal become more cost-competitive than traditional fossil fuels, people will adopt them directly.
When asked if this can achieve energy equity, she admitted that "achieving complete equity is very difficult when people cannot see immediate or near-term benefits," but "at least reducing inequity would be a good start."
Before joining the Economist Intelligence Unit, Hunter served as Executive Vice President and Global Head of Strategy and ESG at American International Group Inc and has a long career in investment. She believes the three letters—E (Environmental), S (Social), and G (Governance)—should not be rigidly bundled together.
She analyzed that, regarding Governance, investors should always focus on sound corporate governance, and in business operations, a strong governance framework creates a level playing field, making governance perpetually important. On the Social aspect, for companies, low employee turnover is critical due to the high cost of recruiting new talent; higher employee engagement can lead to lower turnover. If a company adequately focuses on social factors, it can support business operations and deliver good investment returns. Regarding the Environmental aspect, she believes the core lies in technology; making green energy more economical than fossil fuels through technology is the fundamental driver of change. "We are gradually approaching the goal, though the path is not linear."
Hunter pointed out that, from an investment logic perspective, the intrinsic goals and measurement standards of the Environmental, Social, and Governance dimensions do not naturally align. Mechanically bundling them into a single investment framework may not be the optimal strategy.
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