Global Scans · Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

• [New] In 2026, businesses focusing on industrial production, logistics, and manufacturing can gain a competitive edge by integrating asset tokenization opportunities into their supply chain operations. Inoru
• [New] In 2026, tokenized insurance products will likely gain traction among retail and commercial clients, providing tokenization opportunities for innovation in risk management. Inoru
• [New] As AI-generated content is blended with human-curated messaging and commercial infrastructure, PRC-linked operations will become harder to detect and attribute, reflecting a shift toward more deniable, adaptive, and professionalized influence operations. Atlantic Council
• [New] More than $14 billion in new cables will come into service from 2025 to 2027, compared with less than total $5 billion invested in 2022-24 - the biggest ramp-up in subsea infrastructure since the dotcom boom of 2000-2001. Light Reading
• [New] Alphabet, Google's parent company, announced last month it will acquire clean energy and data center infrastructure developer Intersect in a $4.75 billion deal expected to close in the first half of this year. ColumbusFreePress.com
• [New] Texas' new law, meanwhile, sets out certain consumer protections and enforcement mechanisms, establishes a sandbox program for testing AI systems with reduced regulatory risk, and creates a state council to support innovation and oversee compliance. National Law Review
• [New] Spending on AI is forecast to approach $2 trillion in 2026, accelerating infrastructure build-out worldwide. Stock Titan
• [New] Digital infrastructure is projected to double electricity usage by the middle of the decade, mainly driven by AI and high-density computing. DEV Community
• [New] The expected release of glasses from huge players like Apple and Google has industry analysts predicting sales of smart glasses will rise from six million units in 2025 to 20 million in 2026. LifeHacker
• [New] The creator economy is projected to be a $234 billion industry this year and is on its way to $480 billion by 2027. EzyCourse
• [New] By unveiling next-gen mission autonomy technology during live UK trials, Lockheed Martin further underlined its commitment to innovation in the defence sector, generating investor interest and confidence in its potential for future growth. morpher.com
• [New] The U.S. tobacco industry is witnessing a gradual pivot from combustible cigarettes to reduced-risk products, with HTPs positioned between vaping and traditional cigarettes in terms of delivery and perception. Bonafide Research
• [New] AI is highly capital-intensive: S&P estimates the four largest hyperscalers (builders of infrastructure) will spend $2 trillion in capital expenditure by 2030. ABN AMRO Bank
• [New] The interplay between electrification, digitalization and sustainability in 2026 are going to shape a new era of industrial competitiveness. Bizclik Media Ltd
• [New] AI becomes core business infrastructure Artificial intelligence is expected to move beyond early adoption and into the center of business operations in 2026. The Daily Star
• [New] The orbital economy is moving fast, and its infrastructure will be as critical to the planet's economy as ports, highways, and data centers are on Earth. Payload
• [New] In 2026, data centers will be redefined as AI growth drives power demands, operational challenges, and sustainability innovation. DataCenterKnowledge
• [New] In 2026, your payment infrastructure will not just process transactions-it'll generate competitive intelligence. Trust Payments
• [New] Businesses should treat 2026 as a year to strengthen their resilience infrastructure - localize supply chains, prepare for future disclosure demands, and hard-wire climate risk into operations. Ivey Business School
• [New] 2026 will be a year of reckoning when organizations regroup and focus on a more pragmatic approach to AI, developing solutions that are industry-native and respond to real needs. SME Magazine
• [New] Inspired by the successful lobbying effort of the German car industry to weaken its climate goals for 2035, the first companies are calling for the abolition or weakening of the carbon pricing scheme for electricity and industry. Clean Energy Wire
• [New] Convergence of APTs and Cybercrime: The line between nation-state actors and criminal gangs will blur as they share infrastructure and tactics, accelerating the scale and sophistication of global attacks. Breached Company
• [New] Industry-specific solutions, AI-native modernization blueprints, and scalable engineering frameworks will be jointly developed to support secure, enterprise-grade adoption. Analytics India Magazine

Last updated: 18 January 2026