▁the ▁Sa udi ▁V ision ▁ 2 0 3 0 ▁program ▁of ▁economic ▁and ▁social ▁reform . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Future ▁In vest ment ▁In iti ative ▁event ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁R iy ad h ▁from ▁October ▁ 2 4 ▁to ▁October ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁under ▁the ▁patron age ▁of ▁King ▁Sal man ▁of ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia . ▁The ▁conference ▁hosted ▁ 3 , 8 0 0 ▁at ten de es ▁from ▁ 9 0 ▁countries , ▁involving ▁major ▁invest ors , ▁chief ▁execut ives , ▁public ▁officials , ▁and ▁econom ists . ▁Notable ▁participants ▁included ▁the ▁man aging ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁IM F ▁Christ ine ▁Lag arde , ▁US ▁Tre as ury ▁Secretary ▁Steven ▁M n uch in , ▁Black R ock ▁CE O ▁Larry ▁F ink , ▁and ▁Japanese ▁business ▁magn ate ▁Mas ay oshi ▁Son , ▁CE O ▁of ▁So ft B ank . ▁ ▁Th emes ▁discussed ▁included ▁artificial ▁intelligence , ▁big ▁data , ▁crypt oc urr encies , ▁and ▁climate ▁change . ▁In ▁an ▁address ▁to ▁the ▁conference , ▁Crown ▁Prince ▁Moh amm ad ▁bin ▁Sal man ▁said ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁was ▁returning ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁moder ate ▁form ▁of ▁Islam ▁“ open ▁to ▁all ▁relig ions ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁world ”. ▁ ▁The ▁event ▁was ▁col lo qu ial ly ▁referred ▁to ▁by ▁some ▁media ▁and ▁comment ators ▁as ▁" D av os ▁in ▁the ▁Des ert ". ▁The ▁World ▁Econom ic ▁Forum , ▁which ▁organ ises ▁the