Poor communication by China's economic managers has led to uncertainty and exacerbated market fears, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Thursday at the annual Davos summit of economic and business leaders.

Nearly half of those questioned also expect an artificial intelligence machine to be sitting on a corporate board of directors within the next decade.

That's according to the inaugural "Best Countries" ranking from U.S. News & World Report, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and global brand consultants BAV Consulting. The ranking was officially unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.