Davos 2026: Fragmentation Threatens AI Innovation, Says WEF's Mergenthaler

• Stephan Mergenthaler, WEF Managing Director, highlights fragmentation as a global concern for AI, potentially slowing innovation and leading to duplicate infrastructure.
• He emphasizes the energy impact of widespread AI deployment and the need to understand sectors where AI can yield maximum benefits.
• Mergenthaler notes significant potential for AI in the public sector to enhance government efficiency, citing India's digital public infrastructure as an example.
• Discussions at Davos have shifted from theoretical AI to practical applications, though organizations struggle with workflow redesign for large-scale AI adoption.
• WEF uses an AI agent, Eva, in partnership with Salesforce, to help attendees navigate the annual meeting, showcasing agentic AI capabilities.

Why It Matters: Global fragmentation poses a significant risk to AI innovation and efficient deployment, despite its vast potential.