An alien species is headed for planet Earth and we have no reason to believe it will be friendly. Some experts predict it will get here within 30 years, while others insist it will arrive far sooner. Nobody knows what it will look like, but it will share two key traits with us humans – it will be intelligent and self-aware. No, this alien will not come from a distant planet – it will be born right here on Earth, hatched in a research lab at a major university or large corporation. I am referring to the first artificial general intelligence (AGI) that reaches (or exceeds) human-level cognition.

Just over 20 years ago, the dotcom bubble burst, causing the stocks of many tech firms to tumble. Some companies, like Amazon, quickly recovered their value – but many others were left in ruins. In the two decades since this crash, technology has advanced in many ways. Many more people are online today than they were at the start of the millennium. Looking at broadband access, in 2000, just half of Americans had broadband access at home.

World leaders and prominent CEOs are likely the first people you picture in Davos at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting each January. While you may be more likely to hear these higher profile CEOs weigh in on pressing global issues, these headlines only show a small section of those who attend Davos. Who you're less likely to read about are the thriving groups of smaller business leaders who attend each year. However, these up and coming cross-industry emerging leaders are out in full force at the meeting in Davos each year. One excellent example of how up-and-coming innovators are included in our annual meeting is in our Technology Pioneers.

From flying taxis to Batman-style surveillance motorcycles, Dubai's GITEX expo this week showcased innovations that were symbols of the city-state's ambitions to be a metropolis of the future. Known for its futuristic skyline and artificial islands, Gulf emirate Dubai has carved out a place alongside cities like Singapore as a hub for innovative ideas. At this year's 37th Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX), which runs until Thursday, city authorities were keen to show off they remain on the cutting edge. The undisputed star of the expo, which has more than 4,000 companies from 71 countries participating, was Dubai's flying taxi project. It will fly at a height of 120 metres (130 yards), meaning it will be'out of the way of commercial flights' The undisputed star of the expo, which has more than 4,000 companies from 71 countries participating, was Dubai's flying taxi project developed by German drone firm Volocopter.