AI CEOs transformed Davos into a tech conference
In this episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts discuss how AI dominated the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos this year, overshadowing traditional topics like climate change and global poverty. The conversation covers public criticism of trade policy, warnings about AI bubbles, and the trend of AI startups raising large sums on vision alone. A central example is Humans&, which raised a $480 million seed round with no product on the market.
Key Takeaways
- AI dominated the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, overshadowing topics like climate change and global poverty.
- Meta and Salesforce took over storefronts on the main promenade.
- AI startup Humans& raised a $480 million seed round with no product on the market.
- Humans& has a team of ex-Anthropic, Google, and xAI employees and a vision for social intelligence AI.
- The hosts discuss why raising hundreds of millions before building a product is the new norm.
Stats & Key Facts
- #Humans& raised a $480 million seed round.
- #The episode discusses Meta's 10% layoffs at Reality Labs.
- #The episode published on Jan 23, 2026.
Davos becomes a tech conference
The annual meeting felt different this year.
- ›The World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos felt different this year.
- ›Meta and Salesforce took over storefronts on the main promenade.
- ›AI dominated the conversation in a way that overshadowed traditional topics like climate change and global poverty.
The hosts note the CEOs weren't holding back, with public criticism of trade policy, warnings about AI bubbles popping, and a lot of talk about what comes next for the industry.
Raising hundreds of millions on a vision
A large seed round with no product anchors the discussion.
- ›AI startup Humans& raised a $480 million seed round with no product on the market.
- ›It offered just a vision for social intelligence AI and a team of ex-Anthropic, Google, and xAI employees.
- ›The hosts discuss why raising hundreds of millions before building a product is apparently the new norm.
Other topics on the episode
The episode covers several additional stories.
- ›Whether Meta's 10% layoffs at Reality Labs mean the end for the metaverse, and who is defending Meta's VR investments.
- ›Serve Robotics' acquisition of Diligent, a startup bringing delivery bots into hospitals.
- ›OpenAI's rumored earbuds and what to expect from the company's first hardware product.
The hosts and the show
Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast.
- ›The episode features Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O'Kane, with Theresa Loconsolo as audio producer.
- ›Equity is described as TechCrunch's flagship podcast.
- ›It is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and other platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the main theme at Davos this year?
AI dominated the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, overshadowing traditional topics like climate change and global poverty, with Meta and Salesforce taking over storefronts on the main promenade.
How much did Humans& raise?
Humans& raised a $480 million seed round with no product on the market, offering only a vision for social intelligence AI.
Who is behind Humans&?
Humans& has a team of ex-Anthropic, Google, and xAI employees.
What other stories does the episode cover?
It covers Meta's 10% layoffs at Reality Labs and the metaverse, Serve Robotics' acquisition of Diligent, and OpenAI's rumored earbuds as its first hardware product.
Who hosts this episode of Equity?
The episode features Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O'Kane, with Theresa Loconsolo as audio producer.
The episode frames a Davos where AI and its CEOs set the agenda, and where startups like Humans& raise huge rounds before shipping a product.
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