- The Forum will establish five new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and India.
- Each centre will work with governments and industry to deliver practical policy frameworks and pilots, address regional priorities and advance international cooperation.
- Focus areas include AI innovation, the energy transition, cyber resilience and frontier technologies. Learn more about the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network here .
- Follow the Annual Meeting 2026 here and on social media using #WEF26
Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January 2026 - The World Economic Forum announced today the signing of agreements for five new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), expanding its global network dedicated to the responsible adoption of frontier technologies.
The centres will focus on AI, frontier technologies, the energy transition and cyber resilience - strategic priorities for governments and industry. New centres in France, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and India will address regional needs while advancing international dialogue and cooperation.
Collectively, they will strengthen the Forum's global Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Network, which brings together governments, industry and experts to translate innovation into practical, adaptable policy solutions, pilots and frameworks that support the responsible development and deployment of emerging technologies.
"The launch of five new Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution reflects the value of bringing governments, industry and experts together around shared technology challenges," said Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. "By contributing local and regional insights, partners strengthen a global effort to advance emerging technologies responsibly."
European Centre for AI Excellence, Paris. France
Launched in partnership with VivaTech and part of the global 4IR Network, the European Centre for AI Excellence will accelerate responsible AI innovation and adoption to strengthen Europe's global competitiveness. The centre will mobilize projects and partnerships to strengthen the regional AI ecosystem and support the development and deployment of AI across sectors.
"The European Centre for AI Excellence brings Europe's perspective to the forefront of AI. Born in Paris after the French government's AI Summit, the Centre embodies a collective movement to advance sovereign, trustworthy AI, accelerating adoption, showcasing excellence by design, and strengthening Europe's competitiveness across technology, industry and responsibility," said Maurice Lévy, Chairman of the European Centre for AI Excellence and Co-President of VivaTech.
Centre for AI-Driven Innovation, London, United Kingdom
Hosted by Imperial College London, the UK Centre for AI-Driven Innovation will focus on the development and adoption of cutting-edge AI across key UK sectors, while exploring the convergence of AI with frontier technologies such as quantum, biotechnology and generative AI to enable scalable, cross-sector impact.
Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said: "At Imperial, we have a proud history of turning cutting-edge research into real-world impact. Our Centre for AI-driven Innovation builds on this track record - convening partners from academia, industry and government to deliver scalable, responsible AI adoption that benefits everyone across society."
Centre for Frontier Technologies, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Hosted by the Technology Innovation Institute, the Abu Dhabi Centre for Frontier Technologies will advance innovation in quantum technologies, robotics and space, while advancing public-private collaboration to accelerate the responsible deployment of frontier technologies and strengthen global competitiveness.
Dr. Najwa Aaraj, Chief Executive of the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), said: "As frontier technologies accelerate, there is a growing imperative and opportunity to guide their responsible and impactful adoption. This centre brings together research excellence, policy leadership and global collaboration in one platform, pushing the boundaries of frontier research and development, while enabling breakthrough science to move beyond the lab into real-world application. By translating innovation into responsibly governed, scalable solutions, we are reinforcing Abu Dhabi's role as a global hub for science, innovation and impact."
Centre for Intelligent Future, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Hosted by Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the Centre for Intelligent Future will focus on advancing global AI excellence by strengthening capabilities in research, infrastructure, adoption and innovation. It will convene leaders from government, business, civil society and academia to lead cross-sector initiatives, reinforcing the university's role as a key driver of regional and global AI competitiveness.
"Through our partnership with the World Economic Forum, MBZUAI is launching the Centre for Intelligent Future as a global platform that connects frontier AI research directly to the world's most pressing economic, social and human challenges," said Eric Xing, President of MBZUAI. "By focusing on how AI systems interact with people, institutions and economies, the centre will help translate advanced algorithms into real-world impact, reinforcing the university's role in shaping not only scientific and technological progress, but the future of societal development."
Centre for Energy and Cyber Resilience, Andhra Pradesh, India
Established in partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the Centre for Energy and Cyber Resilience will promote innovation-led approaches to the energy transition while strengthening cyber resilience across industries. Through pilots, consultations and knowledge exchange, the centre will develop scalable solutions spanning green energy systems, cybersecurity strategies and workforce development.
"This partnership with the World Economic Forum echoes our commitment to building capacity where the world is most fragile: energy security, cyber resilience, trusted digital systems and talent at scale," said N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Together, the new centres will strengthen the global Fourth Industrial Revolution Network, bringing governments, industry and experts together around shared technology challenges. As the Network continues to grow, it will continue to support the responsible development and deployment of emerging technologies to address global priorities.
About the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network
The Fourth Industrial Revolution Network is a platform for multistakeholder collaboration, bringing together public and private sectors to help ensure emerging technologies deliver benefits for society while minimizing risks. Launched by the World Economic Forum in 2017, the network brings together independent national and thematic centres across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas to advance the responsible development and application of exponential technologies.
The network currently includes centres in Azerbaijan, Colombia, United Kingdom (Centre for AI-Driven Innovation), France (Paris European Centre for AI Excellence), Germany (Berlin Global Government Technology Centre), Korea (Gyeonggi), India (Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana), Israel, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia (Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Centre for Space Futures, and the Riyadh Centre for Cyber Economics), Serbia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates (Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Centre for Intelligent Future, Abu Dhabi, Centre for Frontier Technologies, Abu Dhabi), the United States (Centre for Trustworthy Technology), Ukraine (Kyiv Global Government Technology Centre) and Viet Nam.
About the Annual Meeting 2026
The World Economic Forum's 56th Annual Meeting, taking place on 19-23 January 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, will convene leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society and academia under the theme A Spirit of Dialogue. Click here to learn more.
