Welcome to Cold War Two: historian Niall Ferguson on geopolitics in 2026

Are we living in the Second Cold War? And if so, what can we learn from the last one that might help us through it? Historian and author Niall Ferguson sets out his view of global affairs right now and says why, compared to many times in the past, there is lot to make us optimistic. Gayle Markovitz interviewed Niall Ferguson at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos. Links: The Global Risks Report 2026: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2026/ Related podcasts: Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ "Everything has changed" - Gita Gopinath on the global economy in 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/gita-gopinath-global-economy-2026/ What just happened in Davos?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/davos-2026-what-just-happened/ Chief Economists' Outlook January 2026: reassuring resilience and a 'good' bubble?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/chief-economists-outlook-barclays-christian-keller/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is that point in the future when the machines can do pretty much everything better than humans. When will it happen, what will it look like, and what will be the impact on humanity? Two of the brightest minds working in AI today, Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, and Dario Amodei, Co-Founder and CEO of Anthropic, speak to Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist. Benjamin Larsen, an expert in AI at the World Economic Forum, introduces the conversation and gives us a primer on AGI. You can watch the conversation from the Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos here: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/the-day-after-agi/ Links: Centre for AI Excellence: https://centres.weforum.org/centre-for-ai-excellence/home AI Global Alliance: https://initiatives.weforum.org/ai-global-alliance/home Global Future Council on Artificial General Intelligence:  https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-future-council-on-artificial-general-intelligence/home Related podcasts: Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

"Don't be fooled. Everything has changed for the global economy." Tariffs, geopolitics and AI are all impacting our economies in ways we might not yet be feeling, says Harvard economist Gita Gopinath. Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, the former IMF chief economist tells Radio Davos why "the world is in a very different place". Links: Chief Economists' Outlook: January 2026: https://www.weforum.org/publications/chief-economists-outlook-january-2026/ Related Davos 2026 sessions: Can India Become the Third Largest Economy in the World?: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/can-india-become-the-third-largest-economy-in-the-world/ Are Markets Mispricing the Future?: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/are-markets-mispricing-the-future/ Global Economic Outlook: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/global-economic-outlook-af4fed3639/ Related podcasts: What just happened in Davos?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/davos-2026-what-just-happened/ Chief Economists' Outlook January 2026: reassuring resilience and a 'good' bubble?:  https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/chief-economists-outlook-barclays-christian-keller/ Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ IMF's Kristalina Georgieva: What's next for AI, skills and the global economy in 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ai-skills-global-economy-imf-kristalina-georgieva/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting has set the global agenda for 2026. We ask leading figures from across the Forum to pick their highlights from Davos, and we hear clips from some of the most important speeches and discussions.  WEF26 sessions mentioned in this episode: Search for any session here: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/programme/ Opening Concert, with Jon Batiste:  https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/opening-concert-0ba652f8a0/ Welcoming Remarks and Special Address, with Børge Brende: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/welcoming-remarks-and-special-address-f28dab9a1d/ The Day After AGI, with Demis Hassabis and Dario Amodei: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/the-day-after-agi/ Conversation with Jensen Huang, President and CEO of NVIDIA: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/conversation-with-jensen-huang-president-and-ceo-of-nvidia/ Conversation with Elon Musk: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/conversation-with-elon-musk/ Special Address by Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/special-address-by-donald-j-trump-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-49a709be7a/ Special Address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/special-address-by-mark-carney-prime-minister-of-canada/ Global Economic Outlook: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/global-economic-outlook-af4fed3639/ Many Shapes of Trade: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/many-shapes-of-trade/ What Does Adaptation Look Like?: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/what-does-adaptation-look-like/ Rethinking Global Aid: The Time Is Now: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/rethinking-global-aid/ Town Hall: Dilemmas around Growth: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/town-hall-dilemmas-around-growth/ Who Is Winning on Energy Security?: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/who-is-winning-on-energy-security/ How Can We Build Prosperity within Planetary Boundaries?: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/how-can-we-build-prosperity-within-planetary-boundaries/ Water in the Balance: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/water-in-the-balance/ Selected links: Davos 2026 website: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/ Global Value Chains Outlook 2026: Orchestrating Corporate and National Agility: https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Value_Chains_Outlook_2026.pdf Reskilling Revolution: https://initiatives.weforum.org/reskilling-revolution/home CEO Alliance on Nature: https://initiatives.weforum.org/ceo-alliance/about Lumina: https://centres.weforum.org/centre-for-advanced-manufacturing-and-supply-chains/lumina SmartStart: https://initiatives.weforum.org/smartstart/home Yes/Cities: https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/yes-cities Related podcasts: Davos 2026: Day 1, with Francine Lacqua: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-1/ Davos 2026: Day 2, with Adam Grant: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-2/ Davos 2026: Day 3, with Katty Kay: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-3/ Davos 2026: Day 4, with Stacey Vanek Smith: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-4/ Davos 2026: Day 5, with Anne McElvoy: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-5/ Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ IMF's Kristalina Georgieva: What's next for AI, skills and the global economy in 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/ai-skills-global-economy-imf-kristalina-georgieva/ Chief Economists' Outlook January 2026: reassuring resilience and a 'good' bubble?:  https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/chief-economists-outlook-barclays-christian-keller/ Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to 'OT': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026-interpol-dragos/ Climate science is clearer than ever. How should companies respond?:  https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/climate-science-policy-business-response/ Davos 2026: Conversation with Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/davos-2026-jamie-dimon-jpmorgan-chase/ Davos 2026: Conversation with Jensen Huang, President and CEO of NVIDIA: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/conversation-with-jensen-huang-president-and-ceo-of-nvidia-5dd06ee82e/ Davos 2026: Conversation with Elon Musk: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/conversation-with-elon-musk-davos-2026/ Davos 2026: Global Economic Outlook: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/davos-2026-global-economic-outlook/ Davos 2026: How Can We Build Prosperity within Planetary Boundaries?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/davo-2026-build-prosperity-within-planetary-boundaries/ Davos 2026: Q&A with Larry Fink and André Hoffman: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/davos-2026-co-chairs-fink-hoffman/ Davos 2026: Scaling AI: Now Comes the Hard Part: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/scaling-ai-now-comes-the-hard-part/ Global Cooperation Barometer 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/global-cooperation-barometer-2026/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wef Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552  

Welcome to Radio Davos coming to you on Day 5 of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026. Anne McElvoy, Executive Editor at POLITICO and co-host of the podcast Politics at Sam and Anne's, joins us to look ahead at the final day and give her assessment of the week, and what might happen next. Catch up on all the action from World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 at wef.ch/wef26 and across social media using the hashtag #WEF26. Follow our live blog on Day 5:  https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/live-from-davos-2026-day-5-what-to-know Related podcasts: Day 4's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-4/ Day 3's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-3/ Day 2's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-23/ Day 1's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-1/ Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to 'OT': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026-interpol-dragos/ Global Cooperation Barometer 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/global-cooperation-barometer-2026/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Welcome to Radio Davos coming to you on Day 4 of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026. Stacey Vanek Smith, co-host of the podcast Everybody's Business from Bloomberg Businessweek, joins us to look ahead at the day's highlights. Catch up on all the action from World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 at wef.ch/wef26 and across social media using the hashtag #WEF26. Follow our live blog on Day 4:  https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/live-from-davos-2026-day-4-what-to-know Related podcasts: Day 3's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-3/ Day 2's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-23/ Day 1's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-1/ Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to 'OT': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026-interpol-dragos/ Global Cooperation Barometer 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/global-cooperation-barometer-2026/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Welcome to Radio Davos coming to you on Day 3 of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026.  Katty Kay, who co-hosts The Rest Is Politics US with Anthony Scaramucci, joins us to look at the day's highlights, which includes an address by U.S. President Donald Trump. Catch up on all the action from World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 at wef.ch/wef26 and across social media using the hashtag #WEF26. Follow our live blog on Day 3: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/live-from-davos-2026-day-3-what-to-know Related podcasts: Day 2's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-23/ Day 1's episode: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-1/ Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to 'OT': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026-interpol-dragos/ Global Cooperation Barometer 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/global-cooperation-barometer-2026/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Welcome to Radio Davos coming to you on Day 2 of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026. It's Tuesday the 20th of January. Give us a few minutes and we'll give you the rundown of what's happening in Davos today. Adam Grant, organisational psychologist, best-selling author and podcaster, joins us to look at the highlights. Catch up on all the action from World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 at wef.ch/wef26 and across social media using the hashtag #WEF26. Follow our live blog on Day 2: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/live-from-davos-2026-day-2-what-to-know Radio Davos is published weekly throughout the year, looking at the world's biggest challenges - the economy, geopolitics, the environment, tech, and much more - follow it wherever you get podcasts: https://pod.link/1504682164 Related podcasts: Davos 2026: Day 1, with Francine Lacqua: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/radio-davos-daily-wef26-day-1/ Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them:  https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to 'OT': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026-interpol-dragos/ Chief Economists' Outlook January 2026: reassuring resilience and a 'good' bubble?: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/chief-economists-outlook-barclays-christian-keller/ Global Cooperation Barometer 2026:  https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/global-cooperation-barometer-2026/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Francine Lacqua, anchor and editor-at-large at Bloomberg TV, and host of a new podcast, Leaders, joins us to look ahead at Day 1 and the rest of the week, as the Annual Meeting 2026 opens in Davos.   Catch up on all the action from World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 at wef.ch/wef26 and across social media using the hashtag #WEF26. Follow our live blog on Day 1:  https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/live-from-davos-2026-day-1-what-to-know Radio Davos is published weekly throughout the year, looking at the world's biggest challenges - the economy, geopolitics, the environment, tech, and much more - follow it wherever you get podcasts: https://pod.link/1504682164 Related podcasts: Top global risks in 2026 and how the Davos 'spirit of dialogue' can help us face them: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-risks-report-2026/ Cybersecurity Outlook 2026: the view from Interpol and the threat to 'OT': https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2026-interpol-dragos/ Global Cooperation Barometer 2026: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues/episodes/global-cooperation-barometer-2026/ Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552

Coming soon: Radio Davos Daily - a look ahead to all the action at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos. Every morning from 19 January: give us a few minutes and we'll give you an audio rundown of the coming highlights. Episode will be available wherever you get podcasts and on the Forum Live app from 0600 CET. Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts:  YouTube: - https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos - subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader - subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues - subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552