Davos 2026 | Is Artificial Intelligence Challenging The Idea Of Nation States?

As artificial intelligence accelerates at an unprecedented pace, a fundamental question is gaining urgency: could AI one day make governments, nations and even sovereignty irrelevant? Experts say these fears are no longer theoretical. While applied AI remains a human choice - written, deployed and governed by people - the frontier of advanced AI raises real concerns about control, power and accountability. Democratic societies face a unique challenge: how to build guardrails without stifling innovation, especially when AI offers massive strategic advantage. Unlike authoritarian systems with centralized oversight, democracies must rely on transparency, auditability and public trust. From loan approvals to school admissions, consumers are demanding clarity on how AI decisions are made and whose data is used. The debate is intensifying worldwide, as governments, companies and citizens grapple with how to ensure AI empowers society - without quietly overpowering it.