The 55th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting brought together global leaders to rebuild trust, foster innovation, and create partnerships to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. From artificial intelligence and climate change to global economic growth, the conversations centered around how collaboration can drive meaningful progress—both today and in the future.

Crisis Text Line had the opportunity to participate in Davos, engaging with thought leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore solutions that advance mental health support worldwide. Our top leaders (see photo above) attended several key events, and here are some of their key takeaways:

1. Emerging conversations around the brain economy are reshaping how we view mental well-being. According to the McKinsey Health Institute, the brain economy is where brain capital, comprising of brain health and brain skills, serves as the cornerstone of sustainable economic growth. Brain health encompasses mental health, substances, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions, focusing on preventing disease and promoting optimal brain function to enable individuals to thrive. Brain capital combines brain health with essential cognitive, emotional and social skills such as analytical thinking, creativity, adaptability and empathy. Volunteer-based mental health crisis helplines, such as Crisis Text Line, can make vital and innovative contributions to help meet growing brain health and brain capital needs worldwide as an integral part of broader mental health ecosystems.
2. The Role of AI in Mental Health Support: Artificial intelligence is transforming the future of mental health services. At Davos, conversations emphasized the potential to capitalize on AI for good, and the importance of democratizing it while protecting individuals and populations at the same time. At Crisis Text Line, we’re exploring innovative ways to responsibly and ethically leverage AI to elevate the voices of those who reach out to us in moments of crisis, to strengthen volunteer training, enhance response efficiency, and ensure texters receive the highest quality support. Most importantly, this means we do not export our data into prevailing Generative AI models, which are not representative of the populations we serve. Additionally, we leverage AI to help real people help other human beings, more swiftly and effectively, not to replace genuine human-to-human connection. This is why we don’t use chatbots when supporting people in need.
3. Prioritizing Mental Health in the Global Agenda: Mental health is increasingly recognized as a critical component of global well-being. Leaders emphasized the need for cross-sector collaboration to integrate mental health into broader health and economic policies. 
4. Partnerships for Scalable Solutions: Collaboration is key to driving impact. Davos provided a platform to forge new partnerships with global organizations and stakeholders that share our mission and values. We want to thank key leaders at the following organizations for fostering crucial conversations on mental health and inviting us to be part of the discussion: Prospira, The Real Mental Health Foundation, Second Muse, Arthur W. Page Society, World Health Organization (WHO), Catalyst Now, the Davos Alheimer’s Collaborative, and the Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy, to name a few. By working together, we can expand our reach and deepen our impact.

Looking Ahead 

The insights gained from #WEF2025 reaffirm our commitment to advancing mental health support through research science, social innovation, and collaboration. As we move forward, Crisis Text Line remains dedicated to ensuring that anyone, anywhere, can access the support they need in moments of crisis. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to collaborate and innovate to support mental health worldwide. If you ever need support, we are always here. Text HELLO to 741741 to reach a live volunteer Crisis Counselor. Free, confidential, 24/7.