Latest Industry Trends News
Datacenters Drive Shift to Offgrid Solar+Battery Power
Datacenters are building captive solar+battery systems due to grid failures, achieving >99.5% uptime with 10x overbuild in sunny regions, flipping market power from utilities. Hyperscalers will prefer datacenters as partners, enabling cheap consumer power via batteries.
Terraform Industries predicts solar will make synthetic hydrocarbons cost-preferred, displacing geological oil/gas.
Solar to Dominate Electricity, EVs Ground Transport by 2045
Solar continues displacing all primary electricity generators, while EVs dominate ground transport growth. Natural gas shifts to LNG for supersonic aviation, shipping, industrial heat.
In 2025, gas powers electricity, oil fuels vehicles/ships/aircraft.
TikTok Shop Surges in Holiday Sales, Maturing Social Commerce
TikTok Shop drives real retail outcomes for brands like Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s via live selling and shoppable videos during holidays. Customer interaction, views, and sales exceed prior seasons, signaling social commerce's undeniable rise.
Marketers shift ad budgets to TikTok for higher engagement and conversions ahead of 2026.
TIME Names AI Architects 2025 Person of the Year
TIME recognizes AI architects for reshaping industries, creativity, and communication, affirming AI's cultural force beyond tools. This impacts marketing strategy, consumer behavior, and investments.
AI's relevance rises amid regulatory pushes like South Korea's ad disclosure mandates.
Global Ad Spending Hits $1.14 Trillion, Commerce Overtakes TV
WPP projects 8.8% growth to $1.14T in 2025 ad revenue, with commerce at $178.2B surpassing TV for first time. Retail media expands rapidly, eyeing 20% of total by 2030 over $300B.
Upward revision reflects better macro conditions, trade tariffs, and AI infrastructure demand.
$40B Governments Invest in Quantum Computing Race
Governments pledge $40B for quantum research, private billions more, with market exploding; concentrated in North America, Europe, East Asia. Global South faces infrastructure deficits, needing inclusive innovation for SDGs via groups like Open Quantum Institute.
Urgency for Post-Quantum Cryptography addresses security threats.
Gen Z DIY Content Signals Authenticity Over Polished Ads
Gen Z/Millennials embrace DIY holiday content, prioritizing relatable user-generated formats over ads. Brands hire storytellers for narrative-first experiences.
Trends guide 2026 planning amid viral formats and AI-creativity shifts.
Uber Launches Intelligence Tool for Consumer Behavior Insights
Uber Intelligence uses trip/delivery data with clean-room tech for privacy-safe marketer insights on movement, shopping, decisions. Helps shape campaigns via real-world behavior analysis.
Part of marketing's data-driven personalization rise.
Fed Projects Stronger 2025-2026 GDP, Easing Inflation
Fed raises 2025 GDP forecast, 2026 to 2.3%, showing economic resilience; trims core PCE inflation toward 2% target. Gold up 60% in strongest year since 1979, equities at highs led by AI/tech.
Rotation broadens to materials, financials; utilities oversold.
Global Markets Rally Amid Dovish Fed, Key Data Ahead
Global stocks rally with major indices surging; GD up significantly on Dec 13. Upcoming US retail sales, BoE rate cut, CPI, PMI, GDP influence sentiment.
Equity strength pre-NFP/CPI, gold eyes highs, dollar drifts lower.
Container Rates Fall on Asia-US as Supply Outpaces Demand
Container rates drop on Asia-U.S. routes due to excess supply over demand. Global airfreight rates rise early Dec but trail last year; sustainable packaging trends eyed for 2025.
Reflects logistics shifts amid trade dynamics.
AI Safety Concerns, US-China Chip Rivalry Intensify
Elon Musk voices AI safety worries; US-China compete in AI chips, open-source models. Quantum hardware breaks hundred-qubit ceiling.
Transformative potential across sectors with geopolitical, workforce challenges.