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] Approximately 65% of surveyed industry leaders expect fundamentals such as leasing activity, rental rates, and vacancies to improve through 2026. The CCIM Institute
• [New] AI infrastructure spending alone is projected to reach $700 billion in 2026. Triad City Beat
• [New] In an industry where global digital advertising spend is projected to exceed $870 billion by 2026, Meta's move into business messaging unlocks new, recurring revenue streams and reduces reliance on volatile ad markets. Value Sense
• [New] The US is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period, due to rapid advancements in technology adoption, strengthened security mandates, and aggressive modernization of public and private infrastructure. SecurityWorldMarket.com
• [New] In 2026, Retrieval-Augmented Generation will move from experimental innovation to a foundational capability that reshapes how organizations operate and interact with AI. vmblog.com
• [New] Gartner's latest outlook emphasizes that AI infrastructure spending is forecast to surpass $1.3 trillion in 2026, signaling a paradigm shift from episodic, model-centric hype to a sustained, infrastructure-led growth model. Stanford Tech Review
• [New] AI infrastructure spending is forecast to surpass $1.3 trillion in 2026, underscoring how critical the hardware layer has become to the AI value chain. Stanford Tech Review
• [New] Gartner's and Deloitte's AI spend forecasts reinforce that the economics of AI infrastructure will dominate IT budgeting for years to come, so investments should be disciplined with clear ROI models and risk controls. Stanford Tech Review
• [New] AI Capex and Margin Compression: Tesla's pivot requires massive capital expenditure, with 2026 AI infrastructure spending projected at $20 billion to scale Dojo and NVIDIA clusters. Bingx Exchange
• [New] Global subsea infrastructure is entering one of its busiest periods in more than a decade, with around 40 submarine cable systems expected to enter service in 2026. Subsea Cables
• [New] NEXT 2026 will bring together industry leaders, executives, developers, IT professionals, and thought leaders to explore the intersection of enterprise AI, distributed data, modern IT, and cloud native innovation. Barchart.com
• [New] The Energy Information Administration projected an increase of 5% to 32% in the US industrial sector's energy consumption from 2022 to 2050, underscoring the demand for services such as drilling, well completion, and production optimization. Yahoo Finance UK
• [New] Blockchain will facilitate a move away from systems-based infrastructure into a world of network-based architecture that allows for greater interoperability and programmability. J.P. MORGAN
• [New] The rapid expansion of green hydrogen infrastructure represents one of the most significant growth opportunities for Platinum Group Metals between 2026 and 2033. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The transition of the global digital economy from a centralized cloud paradigm to a highly fragmented, AI-intensive, and kinetically vulnerable infrastructure marks a fundamental shift in the 2026 risk landscape. Pascal's Substack
• [New] North America is expected to remain the most mature and commercially active region for Level-4 (L4) autonomous vehicle deployment in 2026, supported by a strong innovation ecosystem, favorable state-level regulations, and continuous real-world pilot expansion. For Insights Consultancy
• [New] Anchored by T-Mobile's Innovation Lab in Bellevue, Washington, US, and T-Labs in Berlin, Germany, 6G will be jointly designed and developed as a fully AI-native system. Deutsche Telekom AG
• [New] By End-user, the infrastructure segment is anticipated to have the fastest CAGR from 2026 to 2035. Precedence Research
• [New] By 2026, the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain will no longer be limited to the hype surrounding AI concept coins, but will enter a deeper stage of infrastructure interoperability. MEXC
• [New] North America boasts a highly advanced cybersecurity infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on shielding AI systems from cyber threats. Polaris
• [New] The strategy, announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the largest single investment area for 2026-2030, with additional AI investments integrated throughout its broader budget. UKAuthority
• [New] The next decade's most profitable opportunities will emerge where technology, sustainability, and geopolitics intersect - especially among producers championing carbon reduction and digital innovation. Farmonaut

Last updated: 15 March 2026