Global Scans · Intelligence · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: There will be an increased demand for software and services that deliver intelligence, personalization, and specialization. Artificial intelligence could become a $15+ bn opportunity by 2025. Combining human and machine cognition for engagement decisions could yield the precision and reliability of automation without sacrificing the robustness and flexibility that humans bring. The first effect of machine intelligence will be to lower the cost of goods and services that rely on prediction.

• [New] AI could surpass any individual human's intelligence as early as in 2026 and exceed humanity collectively by the early 2030s. MarketingProfs
• [New] AI could surpass human intelligence in 2026. MarketingProfs
• [New] AI-powered humanoid robots will soon possess awareness, compete with humans, and ultimately surpass the combined intelligence of all humanity, possibly within three years. Vision Times
• [New] AI could increase global trade by between 34 and 37%, meaning that by 2040, the value of trade could be nearly 40% higher than in a world without AI-driven advances. WTO Blog
• [New] Geneva The World Trade Organization has released its flagship World Trade Report 2025, revealing that artificial intelligence could increase the value of global cross-border flows of goods and services by nearly 40% by 2040, provided the right policy environment is in place. GCC BUSINESS WATCH
• [New] The World Trade Report 2025 projects AI could lift global trade flows by up to 37% and GDP by 13% by 2040, provided governments adopt enabling policies, bridge the digital divide, and maintain open, predictable trade frameworks. GCC BUSINESS WATCH
• [New] By 2026, over 89% of financial services organizations have adopted AI, with agentic AI agents expected to appear in 40% of enterprise applications - fundamentally reshaping how wealth managers, bankers, and insurers engage clients. VAntage Point
• [New] By the end of 2026, 40% of enterprise applications will feature task-specific AI agents - a dramatic increase from less than 5% in 2025. VAntage Point
• [New] AI could reduce the aggregate cost base of the banking industry by 15% to 20%, translating to potential savings of $700 billion to $800 billion. VAntage Point
• [New] In 2026 and beyond, threat actor use of AI is expected to transition decisively from the exception to the norm, noticeably transforming the cyber threat landscape. ZDNet
• [New] In 2026, weaponized AI will cause unprecedented harm. ZDNet
• [New] Threat intelligence teams at Google's Mandiant and Threat Intelligence Group, Anthropic, CrowdStrike, NCC Group, and others are flagging a decisive turn: AI will no longer be a sidekick in cyber campaigns - it will run major parts of them. FindArticles
• [New] Generative AI could automate up to 30% of hours worked in software roles by the end of the decade. Big News Network.com
• [New] AI will accelerate research breakthroughs in 2026 by automating data analysis and hypothesis generation across health and technology domains. StudyFinds
• [New] Expect investment in AI-powered platforms to continue into 2026, as providers seek to expand access, increase efficiencies and address fragmentation in care. JD Supra
• [New] In 2026, AI will become an even more powerful, invisible engine behind travel, anticipating what travelers need before they ask and removing friction at every step. Hotel Online
• [New] Singapore is setting aside $1 billion over a period of five years from 2025 to 2030 to boost its public research capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI). ST
• [New] Climate change could expose more than 1 billion people to food crises by 2100, a new study using an AI model shows. Insurance Journal
• [New] The Information Revolution, greatly enhanced by the rise of AI, will disrupt American life and American politics on a massive scale. The Atlantic
• [New] The AI chip segment alone could generate $50 billion in the coming years. Economic Times
• [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] 2026 will transition from AI hype to rigorous evaluation of productivity and risk. BasicAI
• [New] Demand for AI hardware is expected to remain robust, supporting related imports and exports. Focus Taiwan - CNA English News

Last updated: 27 January 2026