JGU Vice Chancellor speaks at World Economic Forum in Davos

Davos, Jan 22 Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), participated as a distinguished speaker at the Round Table discussion for the New Civilisation Project in Davos on the theme “Balancing Humanity, Nature, and Artificial Intelligence in Harmony”, organised by Purpose Driven Innovation Ecosystem (PDIE) Group on Monday, January 20, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, Switzerland.

The WEF convenes annually in Davos to bring together global leaders from all walks of life to address critical global and regional challenges.

The WEF Annual Meeting 2025, held from January 20 to January 24 under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” brings together around 3,000 global leaders from over 130 countries.

PDIE Group, the host of the Round Table for the New Civilisation Project in Davos, builds global innovation ecosystem for sustainable entrepreneurs, corporations, investors and researchers to solve the world's greatest challenges.

The Round Table brought together influential leaders and innovators to exchange perspectives on shaping a resilient and forward-thinking global society where humanity, nature, and AI thrive together in harmony.

As part of the Round Table, Professor Kumar focused on how education and sustainable development can become the pillars of a harmonious future where human aspirations align with the ecological realities of our planet.

Professor Kumar proposed that education must be reimagined beyond traditional knowledge transfer to foster interdisciplinary and holistic learning, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making preparing individuals to navigate the complexities of a world driven by AI.

He added that curricula must integrate ecological awareness, sustainability principles, and the moral dimensions of technology to foster holistic problem-solving among future generations.

He posited that this paradigm shift in learning will prepare societies to embrace Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a collective mission and adopt Sustainable Development as a practical framework for addressing critical global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource inequality.

Professor Kumar argued that AI should be seen as a collaborator rather than a disruptor and emphasised its role in scaling solutions for education, reducing environmental impact, and fostering innovation that respects natural ecosystems.

He observed that AI has the potential to act as a bridge between humanity’s aspirations and nature’s limitations by enabling resource optimisation, predictive ecological modelling, environmental monitoring and equitable decision-making, thereby accelerating the achievement of global sustainability goals.

While discussing the integration of AI into the fabric of society, Professor Kumar underscored the importance of establishing global legal and ethical frameworks to ensure that AI operates transparently and responsibly, safeguarding human rights, biodiversity, and planetary health.

He highlighted that an ethical and human-centric AI can amplify human-led initiatives to achieve deeper and faster results. In today’s technology-driven world, he stressed the need to preserve human creativity and encourage cultural expressions like art, music, and philosophy to counterbalance automation.

He also advocated for empowering marginalised communities and developing nations through equitable access to AI technologies and skills development for AI-related roles.

Concluding his address, Professor Kumar called for collective responsibility and a global commitment to a future that respects the delicate balance of humanity, nature, and AI.

He stated that by harmonising human ingenuity with the wisdom of nature and the computational power of AI, a new civilisation can be envisioned where technological progress is not at odds with the planet but rather a force for sustainable co-existence.

He also emphasised that combining education, sustainable development, effective policy reforms and legal systems can reaffirm faith in humanity’s ability to innovate, adapt, and lead with integrity towards a balanced civilisation.

Source: IANS