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Tourists visit the Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore on Sept. 7, 2023.
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SINGAPORE — Welcome to CNBC's live blog on the first day of CONVERGE LIVE in Singapore, where global business leaders, investors and key policymakers will share ideas about what it means to innovate and grow across industries.
Some of the top speakers on Wednesday's agenda include Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai.
For the first time, Dalio and Benioff will join each other on stage from around 9:25 a.m. Singapore time (1:25 a.m. London time/9:25 p.m. ET). The industry titans will discuss the global economy, stock markets and how they see artificial intelligence impacting the world.
The AI theme will also be front and center during a fireside at 10:15 a.m Singapore time with Alibaba's Tsai, who will discuss the Chinese e-commerce giant's outlook and strategy. Notably, Tsai is also poised to share his views on Alibaba's new AI model, which it says "rivals" other reasoning models, such as DeepSeek-R1.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Kim Yong Gan Schneider Electric Chairman Jean-Pascal Tricoire are also among those due to speak on Wednesday, when topics will range from the rapid rise of AI and its implications for sustainability, global capital flow trends and corporate leadership in a disrupted world.
CNBC's inaugural CONVERGE LIVE event comes shortly after a nervy start to the week on Wall Street, with investors increasingly concerned that a global trade war could dent U.S. economic growth and trigger a recession.
AI, tariffs and recession: The hot topics for business leaders at CONVERGE
Themes expected to dominate discussions on the first day of CONVERGE LIVE include artificial intelligence, a wide-ranging trade war and heightened fears of a U.S. recession.
AI — a talking point for every major corporate leader in recent years — has been in sharp focus as the race to develop sophisticated AI systems heats up. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba recently unveiled a new AI model, which it says "rivals" other reasoning models, such as DeepSeek-R1. CNBC is not able to verify these claims.
Meanwhile, U.S. stocks fell sharply at the start of the week amid deepening fears U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy could result in a U.S. recession.
An escalating trade war has seen several tariff announcements from the U.S., China, Canada and Mexico in recent months.
— Sam Meredith
Guest highlights for Wednesday
Marc Benioff, Chairman & CEO of Salesforce, speaking on CNBC's Squawk Box outside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22nd, 2025.
Gerry Miller | CNBC
High-profile business leaders, policymakers and investors will take part in several panel sessions and firesides at CONVERGE LIVE on Wednesday.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Kim Yong Gan kicks off the event with a keynote speech at around 9:10 a.m. Singapore time (9:10 p.m. ET). Gan also serves as the country's trade and industry minister.
A fireside chat with Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff will follow after. It marks the first time the two titans of industry will join each other on stage.
Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai, Singapore's Digital and Information Minister Josephine Teo and Schneider Electric Chairman Jean-Pascal Tricoire are also among the speakers scheduled to take part in Wednesday's sessions.
— Sam Meredith
English (US)