Why world leaders need to heed youth voices at Davos

As political and business leaders gather for the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, concerns about sluggish economic growth, geopolitical polarization, climate breakdown and the rise of artificial intelligence are set to dominate conversations. Much ink will be spilt analyzing these challenges – yet the most important briefing available to delegates arguably comes not from economists or political strategists, but from the world’s youth.

Youth Pulse 2026 – a World Economic Forum survey of nearly 4,600 young people across more than 100 countries – is one of the largest youth foresight datasets globally. It provides comprehensive insights from those who will live the longest with the consequences of today’s decisions. This year’s report paints a portrait of a highly engaged generation navigating multiple transitions simultaneously, who are now demanding true partnership.

With more than half of all people alive today aged under 30, the world has the largest youth population in history. This is also the most AI literate generation in history, and the least supported. Young people are chronically underrepresented in decisions that will shape their future. The Youth Pulse 2026 shows why this is both unfair and a vast wasted opportunity.

Young people have the potential to act as vital changemakers in tackling crises such as the climate emergency, rising inequality and escalating conflicts. They are eager to build inclusive and sustainable societies, and they see extraordinary opportunities for action.

Their priorities can be distilled into five actionable demands: more quality jobs and entrepreneurship; improved education that leads directly to work; rapid adoption of AI with appropriate guardrails; greater transparency as the foundation of trust; and climate action as a baseline for prosperity. Taken together, these elements signal the need to rethink how societies support and engage young people

For all the talk of divergent generational values and priorities, young people are preoccupied with economic survival. The survey shows that 57% of them identify employment as the top policy priority in their countries, and a similar proportion cite inflation and instability as the greatest threats to their lives showing the dual burden they carry daily. These financial concerns outpace all other issues, including climate change and political upheaval.

The emphasis on economic vulnerability is perhaps not surprising given that 70% of young workers globally remain stuck in informal or low-wage work. Faced with the possibility of toiling for decades in dead-end jobs, interest in entrepreneurship is surging in regions such as Africa and South Asia – where it is seen as a route around structural barriers to advancement – as well as in advanced economies, where job precarity has eroded trust in traditional careers.

Addressing the youth jobs crisis will require governments and companies alike to expand early-career employment pathways, to unlock youth potential and sustain long-term economic growth. The need for this has become urgent with the rise of AI, since two-thirds of respondents fear that AI will reduce the number of entry-level roles available over the next three years.

Practical solutions include large employers committing to transparent entry-level job pipelines, alongside paid internships and broad apprenticeship programmes. Governments, meanwhile, should consider wage incentives for youth hiring and expand access to capital for first-time founders, making entrepreneurship a viable option for young people with innovative ideas.

Education, too, is ripe for reform. An uncomfortable truth emerging from the Youth Pulse 2026 survey is that young people no longer trust education systems to prepare them for work. Although 46% of respondents view education as a critical enabler, they identify a persistent mismatch between classroom learning and labour market needs. They want reforms to align curricula with emerging job markets, by prioritizing digital literacy, critical thinking and adaptability.

This is not an argument for tearing down education establishments but for rewiring them. The report shows young people increasingly expect practical, modular, employer-validated learning that builds direct pathways into growing sectors of the economy.

The scale of opportunities and challenges posed by AI represents one of the starkest messages from the report. AI adoption is surging among the under-30s, but formal training is lagging dangerously behind – and young people are worried. Nearly 60% of young people use AI tools regularly, with another one third experimenting occasionally, representing a level of adoption far ahead of their elders. They are on the front line of the AI revolution, and they fear the emergence of a two-tier society as AI automates routine, junior-level tasks while those in senior positions leverage its power to pull further ahead.

To counter the threat of deepening inequality, governments and employers will need to treat AI literacy as a universal foundational skill, not a specialism. Schools and universities should integrate applied AI into core curricula, and companies are recommended to introduce AI onboarding for every new hire.

Tackling climate change remains an overarching concern for the young. Importantly, it is seen not as a trade-off between ambition and affordability, but as a fundamental precondition for prosperity. Climate ranks as the top global threat for the young, ahead of conflict and governance failures, and it is viewed as the second greatest threat to their own lives after economic instability.

The good news is that young people have emerged as a growing source of innovative solutions on climate. From aquaponics systems in Zimbabwe to water resilience initiatives in Colombia, the report catalogues more than 120 youth-led climate projects that are already delivering outcomes at scale.

When it comes to eroding trust in politics and institutions young people have an important story to tell that should resonate with leaders across both government and business. Their trust in community-level leaders is twice as high as for national politicians, reflecting the fact that legitimacy, for this generation, is built on leadership that is proximate, accountable and effective in delivering tangible results.

Taken together, the findings of Youth Pulse 2026 amount to an invaluable guide for navigating a world in transition. If today’s decision-makers are serious about building systems that are trusted, resilient and capable of delivering for all, they must elevate youth to the role of co-architects. The question is not whether young people are ready to step up, it is whether those in power are ready to listen. Ignoring their insights would be a strategic failure.