A quiet but powerful gathering is underway in Lisbon, Portugal, where top leaders in tech, business, and politics are meeting behind closed doors. The annual Bilderberg Meeting, known for its secrecy, kicked off with a big focus this year: artificial intelligence (AI).
Among the big names attending are Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. These tech giants are joined by influential political figures like former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
What is the Bilderberg Meeting?
Started in 1954, the Bilderberg Meeting was created to encourage open dialogue between Europe and North America. This year marks its 69th gathering. About 130 participants from 23 countries are attending the 2023 edition.
Unlike typical conferences, the Bilderberg Meeting is extremely private. Discussions happen under what's known as the Chatham House Rule—attendees can use the information shared, but they can’t reveal who said it. This level of confidentiality is designed to promote free and honest conversations, but it also fuels conspiracy theories about hidden agendas and world domination.
What's Being Discussed This Year?
The organizers revealed some of the topics on the agenda, giving a glimpse into the key global issues being discussed:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Banking system stability
- China and global relations
- The energy transition
- Europe’s political and economic challenges
- Fiscal policies
- India’s growing influence
- Global trade and industrial policy
- NATO’s future
- Russia and Ukraine
- Transnational security threats
- U.S. leadership in global affairs
AI is clearly at the forefront this year, especially as tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard have sparked both excitement and concern. Altman himself recently testified before the U.S. Senate, calling for government oversight of the fast-evolving technology.
Meanwhile, ongoing tensions with Russia and China, the war in Ukraine, and shifting global alliances are also on everyone’s minds.
Why Is It So Secretive?
Participants don’t attend in any official capacity. That means CEOs and politicians aren’t representing their companies or governments—they’re there as individuals. There’s no media coverage inside the event, no official report of what’s said, and no public list of outcomes.
Organizers say the low-profile approach allows for deeper, more meaningful discussion. But that hasn’t stopped critics from raising questions about transparency.
Who Funds It?
The event is organized by the Foundation Bilderberg Meeting and guided by a rotating steering committee. Participants don’t pay a fee to attend, but they do cover their own travel and hotel costs. The budget for running the meeting is kept small and funded by annual contributions from steering committee members. The host country’s representatives take care of local hospitality.
Why It Matters
While it’s easy to be skeptical about secret meetings of powerful people, the Bilderberg Meeting does bring together some of the world’s brightest minds to discuss major challenges. With AI changing the world faster than ever, these conversations—though private—could shape the future of technology and policy.
Source:
- https://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/meetings/meeting-2023/press-release-…
- https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/davos-the-world-economic-forum-is-grapp…
- https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/16/watch-live-openai-ceo-sam-altman-testif…
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