Robert F. Smith, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, participated in the Reinventing Digital Inclusion panel at the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. He was joined by panelists Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Cassava Technologies; Fatoumata Ba, Founder and Executive Chair of Janngo Capital; Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation for Rwanda; and moderator Karen Tso, Co-Anchor and Journalist of CNBC International (Europe).

During the session, the panelists offered their viewpoints on how to make technology accessible to all and discussed what resources are needed to address issues of digital inequality. Smith discussed the achievements of the EDISON Alliance in connecting over 1 billion people across the world to essential digital services through the 1 Billion Lives Challenge. Smith also praised the effectiveness of the Alliance’s local approach, which became a key lesson from the initiative. To build upon the work of the Alliance, Masiyiwa announced a new WEF initiative specifically aimed at closing AI access and utilization gaps in Africa.

In addition, Smith described how to help communities gain access to technological resources and benefit from the innovations, solutions and efficiencies possible from generative AI. He provided a practical view on inclusive economic growth for developing countries that emphasized promoting digital literacy. He also discussed how to build digital infrastructure and increase investment from venture capital and private equity firms.

The panel also focused on the importance of women-led companies and access to fintech in Africa and ended with a Q&A that included a discussion on the opportunities and challenges of driving equality in AI.
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More Robert F. Smith videos:
Robert F. Smith’s Interview at the 2024 APEC CEO Summit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR2QbXJpm-M
Robert F. Smith’s Interview at the 2024 Singapore FinTech Festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JNVWuIMxBQ
Robert F. Smith Joins Columbia Business School’s Women’s Business Leadership in Tech Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7j2IKC5ljc
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Robert F. Smith is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, who is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista. Smith is committed to solving issues of racial and gender inequality, reforming the education system and eradicating systemic racism. To learn more about Smith, visit https://robertsmith.com/.

YouTube Video Chapters
00:00 - 1:52 Introductory Remarks
1:53 - 6:23: The EDISON Alliance 1 Billion Lives Challenge
6:24 - 9:54: WEF's AI for Prosperity and Growth in Africa Initiative
9:55 - 15:21 Advancing Gender Inclusion in Tech
15:22 - 19:16: Opportunities and Challenges in Driving Equality in AI
19:17 - 21:56 Democratizing AI Adoption in African Countries
21:57 - 34:57 Discussion About Investment Capital in Africa
34:58 - 42:12: Questions from the Audience

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