Global Scans · Design · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Design thinking will increasingly play a key role in improving systems and customer experiences. Companies will re-learn their approach to innovation and embrace human-centred design principles. Designers will begin to apply knowledge of human interaction, specifically in the area of how we earn trust and respect, to AI systems.

• [New] The Amazfit Bip 6 might not be a high-fashion accessory, nor is it the most feature-rich wearable by any means, but it is more than adequate for tracking workouts and chasing fitness goals. BGR
• [New] IBM Loon will validate a new architecture to implement and scale the components needed for practical, high-efficiency quantum error correction. semiwiki
• [New] SLB will serve as the modular design partner for NVIDIA DSX AI factories. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] IBM's roadmap targets fault-tolerant systems with thousands of logical qubits beyond 2033, while Google's Willow architecture has demonstrated error correction improvements that reinforce a 2029+ timeline for broadly useful fault-tolerant machines. YIAZOU
• [New] Local projects eligible for funding could include the development and transformation of underused buildings and green spaces, as well as neighbourhood hubs in UK communities. Third SectorMainNet
• [New] Isomorphic Labs, the UK-based biotech spinoff of Google DeepMind, will soon begin human trials of drugs designed by its Nobel Prize-winning AI technology. Wired
• [New] Almost 4.4 million people in New York City and over 215,000 buildings could face extreme flood damage. Live Science
• [New] The single biggest mistake Platform Engineering leaders will make in 2026 is failing to design the governance layer first. Futurism
• [New] In the GCC, where AI adoption is accelerating under Vision 2030, organizations must extend least privilege and continuous verification to every identity, as ungoverned agentic identities are where identity entropy begins. Security MEA
• [New] A notable opportunity arises from the strong influence of K-culture and broader Korean design trends, suggesting potential for lighters that incorporate traditional Korean motifs, modern K-Pop aesthetics, or collaborations with popular artists and brands. Actual Market Research
• [New] The Artemis III mission, now in 2027, will be designed to test out systems and operational capabilities in low Earth orbit to prepare for an Artemis IV crewed landing in 2028. National Space Centre
• [New] The industry in 2026 is shifting decisively toward operations that can sense, respond, and optimise with minimal human intervention and companies that connect modular design, predictive systems, and AI will gain a lasting performance edge. GDKYD
• [New] Coupled with building envelope improvements, retrofitting around 70% of U.S. buildings with GHPs could reduce electricity demand and avoid as much as 43,500 miles of new grid transmission lines by 2050-enough to cross the continental United States eight times. Energy.gov
• [New] The ViaSat-3 satellites are each designed to provide regional coverage, with ViaSat-3 F3 expected to cover the Asia-Pacific region. viasat.com
• [New] M-SHORAD, the short-range air defence vehicle designed to protect maneuver forces from low-altitude threats including drones, receives $712 million. Defence Blog
• [New] Rising pay expectations, lengthy hiring times and growing identity fraud risks are among the key hiring challenges large UK employers are facing in 2026. theHRDIRECTOR
• [New] Finance and banking fraud trends for 2026 are expected to include growing use of deepfakes and AI-generated documents that challenge the effectiveness of traditional identity verification systems. Sumsub
• [New] Design and testing delays in line with recent historical averages will mean that demonstrations of the Artemis spacesuits, provided by private contractor Axiom Space, will not occur until 2031. Live Science
• [New] In 2026, more people will adopt preventative rituals: small, consistent practices designed to sustain energy and emotional health year-round. Heights Wellness Retreat
• [New] 6G, expected to reach commercial deployment around 2030, is being designed with machines as the primary user, not people. Styletech
• Consequently, uncritical use of generative AI risks gradually eroding regional and cultural diversity in architectural design and causing architectural homogenization that spreads specific aesthetic standards and design languages globally. SpringerLink
• Most architectural images and drawings available on the internet and digital archives are concentrated on modern architecture in Western countries, particularly North America and Europe, creating a risk that AI may simplify and stereotype non-Western or indigenous architecture. SpringerLink
• AI will affect various professional occupations including architecture and engineering, and predicts that even if demand for architects does not completely disappear, the nature of work and the scale of required workforce will fundamentally change. SpringerLink

Last updated: 27 April 2026