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] The period leading up to 2026 will likely determine whether Vietnam can transition from a high growth emerging economy to a sustainable, innovation driven powerhouse. PDLegal LLC
• [New] For U.S. equities, the current policy mix-industrial incentives, tax cuts, and AI-driven capex - has supported risk assets and driven opportunities in sectors like technology and manufacturing. Morgan Stanley
• [New] Israel will presumably make dismantling Hamas's military infrastructure and demilitarizing Gaza a prerequisite for reconstruction, while other actors will emphasize the importance of a clear political horizon to build public trust and foster disengagement. The Washington Institute
• [New] Global investment in AI infrastructure is expected to reach $2 trillion in 2026, and the potential for packaging is immense. WhatTheyThink
• [New] Fastest-growing Region: Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region, supported by expanding fermentation infrastructure in China and India, cost-efficient manufacturing capabilities, and increasing product trials across Japan and ASEAN markets. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Ransomware remains a top global risk, with evolving tactics targeting infrastructure and sensitive data. DIESEC - Cyber Security | IT Security Consulting
• [New] Silicon Valley and the Trump administration are betting the entire American economy on the continued growth of AI, a mission that will require spending billions of dollars on datacenters and new energy infrastructure. DrydenWire
• [New] IIT Bombay and Kanpur will primarily focus on quantum sensing and metrology infrastructure. Precedence Research
• [New] By end-user industry, the telecommunications segment is expected to expand at a remarkable growth rate of CAGR between 2026 and 2035. Precedence Research
• [New] In 2026, AI will be embedded in R&D, diagnostics, and care delivery, moving from pilot projects to core infrastructure. Talencio
• [New] There's a good chance that the carbon footprint of AI infrastructure will become a much bigger deal in 2026. ChannelPro
• [New] By aligning compliance with innovation, Big Tech can unlock AI's full potential while navigating a complex global landscape. Ainvest
• [New] Technology moguls looking for ways to build out infrastructure to support the artificial intelligence boom are increasingly looking to firms like SpaceX that could put data centers in space. CNBC
• [New] Threat Intelligence Researcher In 2026, industrial-scale scam centers operating out of Southeast Asia will become one of the most visible and politically charged cyber security threats facing the U.S. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] As enterprises brace for another year of rapid technology shifts, startup founders and industry leaders are drawing clear lines around what will matter most in 2026, from resilience and ownership of AI to trust, governance, and human-centric digital experiences. Tech Achieve Media
• [New] In 2026, personal AI will not feel like an app-it'll feel like infrastructure. Software House
• [New] In 2026, decentralization, token economies, and distributed trust will shift from niche to ubiquitous - and blockchain app development will be the infrastructure behind it all. SMT Labs
• [New] Major developed countries in the world will pay more attention to blockchain technology, which will increase industrial support for it and enhance national competitiveness in blockchain technology and industry. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] In 2026, AI-assisted content creation will move from novelty to core infrastructure, enabling athletes, creators, and small teams to match the speed and quality of professional production workflows. Shotcaller
• [New] Major tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in high-powered chips and vast data centers to build the infrastructure of AI, which they hope will lead the next transformative wave of innovation and economic growth. Nasdaq
• [New] In 2026, Quantum Error Correction will continue to be the beating heart of the quantum computing industry, marking the true beginning of the sustained engineering and collaborative effort needed to build utility-scale quantum computers. Riverlane
• [New] Other industry players will follow suit in 2026, yielding diverse fault-tolerant quantum computing architectures tailored to specific hardware platforms. Riverlane

Last updated: 04 January 2026