Global Scans · Organizations · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEW?: Moves away from traditional, hierarchical, full-time structures towards a gig and shared economy continue apace. New models of virtual working and work anywhere, anytime for anybody are likely to grow dramatically in the coming years.

• [New] A significant portion of organizations lack defined AI vulnerability processes, incident-response playbooks or resilience plans. The AI Journal
• [New] The coming year will demand that organizations move from reactive security postures to proactive, intelligence-driven resilience, where cyber strategy, operational continuity, and geopolitical awareness are deeply intertwined. The AI Journal
• [New] In 2026 and beyond, agents must transition from cool demos into true business partners. Techzine Global
• [New] Microsoft predicts that organizations will be forced to confront something more fundamental: whether they can embrace the change that AI agents bring as they take on increasingly prominent roles in the workplace. Techzine Global
• [New] UK businesses will become less interested in grand claims about automation replacing people and more focused on how AI can improve specific processes. FinExtra
• [New] Over the next few years, 92% of executives plan to boost AI investments, yet only about 1% consider their organizations AI mature, meaning fully integrated and at scale. 1BusinessWorld
• [New] Business leaders across the G20 are now pushing social and technological risks sharply up the agenda - from gaps in social protections to misinformation and the adverse impacts of AI. Insurance Business
• [New] Businesses will need to be familiar with terms like generative AI, preemptive cybersecurity, multi-factor authentication, and AI agents in 2026. BusinessMole
• [New] Tariff-washing is poised to join the ranks of disclosure pitfalls like greenwashing and AI-washing in 2026, highlighting the growing risk of miscommunication or omission around the impact of tariffs on business operations. Insurance Business
• [New] In 2026 and beyond, companies that treat their workforce as an active line of defence rather than a liability to be managed will be far better positioned to withstand increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. MSEDP
• [New] In 2026, capital markets firms will face continued regulatory pressure, operational complexity, and the need to keep pace with rapid technological change while demonstrating ROI. FinExtra
• [New] The UK will reduce rebates that drug companies must pay when sales of branded medicines to the NHS exceed defined levels. Chemistry World
• [New] From the 2027-28 academic year, university and further education students, as well as apprentices, adult learners and youth workers, in the UK will be able to benefit from grants while travelling abroad to study, train, teach or volunteer. Chemistry World
• [New] Uber's decision to enhance its in-house AI capabilities through increased hiring reflects a broader strategy that anticipates AI not as a replacement for human skill but as an enhancement to it. OpenTools
• [New] While other companies might use AI to streamline operations and reduce headcount, Uber is purposefully increasing its engineering workforce to harness AI's full potential. OpenTools
• [New] Electric car sales are projected to fall in the U.S. 2025 after years of upward growth. insideevs
• [New] U.S. EV sales will fall by 2.1% in 2025. insideevs
• [New] Europe faces a healthcare workforce shortage of 4.1 million by 2030. Pharmaphorum
• [New] Workers are largely energized by AI's possibilities, but organizations must rethink how they operate or risk missing the broader value AI can deliver. The Conference Board
• [New] The role of brokers in the UK economy was increasingly important, particularly in helping businesses and consumers manage and transfer risk. Insurance Business
• [New] Battery recycling and second-life applications will become core pillars of the EV value chain rather than peripheral businesses. ETAuto
• [New] In Brussels, senior politicians have openly confirmed that the EU's flagship plan to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is set to be watered down; a dramatic policy reversal that has alarmed environmental campaigners and electric vehicle (EV) proponents. International Business Times UK

Last updated: 22 December 2025