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] AI-generated prototypes: By 2025, AI will be able to automatically generate 3D models of products, reducing design-to-production times by up to 30% (McKinsey). Rapidops
• [New] Large charging stations in the UK could easily be mistaken for petrol stations simply because of their design. The Conversation
• [New] 2026 will see the focus shift to include architecture, commerce and trade. Exhibition News | The trade for shows.
• [New] Starlab advanced its design, aiming for a 2028 launch on a SpaceX Starship. New Space Economy
• [New] Sustainability is no longer a trend; green design will increasingly become a more general business principle among 2025 design trends (it is an industry-specific choice, and let us not get into the greenwashing debate; let us stay in the tech world). ergomania.eu
• [New] Accessible design will become an even more prominent UX design trend, certainly in the EU, where the EU Accessibility Act will enter into force in member states in the summer of 2025. ergomania.eu
• [New] Golden Dome, one of the Trump administration's top national security priorities, envisions a multi-layered missile defence architecture that integrates land-based interceptors, sea-based systems and potentially interceptors deployed in orbit. SpaceNews
• [New] Zero Trust and Identity Management Platforms: With phishing attacks targeting crypto users increasing by 40% in 2025, solutions that enforce continuous authentication and granular access controls will see strong adoption. Ainvest
• [New] Israel's latest forced evacuation order came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted of blowing up high-rise buildings across Gaza City and warned of even more deadly attacks. Democracy Now!
• [New] Tranche 1 is designed to begin delivering regional warfighting capabilities in 2027, including Link 16 tactical data channels, missile tracking and warning, beyond-line-of-sight targeting, and demonstrations of UHF and S-band satellite communications. Space War
• [New] The sovereign cloud environment will be built on Google Distributed Cloud, a platform designed for workloads that require strict data residency and security controls. UKAuthority
• [New] Nokia has announced the opening of its new, state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing campus in Oulu, Finland, that will design, test and deliver next-generation networks built for AI. FTI Strategic Communications
• [New] Adobe will be under the spotlight after raising its annual financial forecasts amid solid demand for its AI-enhanced design software tools. investing.com
• [New] The average U.S. apparel retail price has not significantly increased, likely because fashion companies fear losing sales at a time when consumers' clothing spending is already weak. FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing
• [New] Sustainable luxury fashion will be a key trend in 2025, with consumers increasingly valuing environmentally-friendly and ethically-made products. HotBot
• [New] Over the next five years, photonic AI accelerators will evolve from niche co-processors into mainstream components of a new, heterogeneous computing architecture. Uplatz Blog
• [New] The Air Force will receive 150 bomber drones over the next 15 years, supported by 75 small satellites designed to maintain drone communications at high altitudes. / USA raksha-anirveda.com
• [New] Solveat is prepped for pilot sales of its first functional composition, designed to support blood-sugar balance starting early in 2026. CNS Media
• [New] As technology, automation, and global shifts reshape industries, future skills like AI expertise, cybersecurity, sustainability, UX design, data science, creative thinking, flexibility, lifelong learning, leadership, and analytical thinking will be essential for career success. Teammeter
• [New] Animations and micro-interactions are nothing new in UI/UX design; they have been used for a long time, but 2025 could see their further proliferation and refinement. ergomania.eu
• [New] Asset owners, from real estate developers to art galleries, will increasingly utilize tokenization to unlock liquidity, access global capital pools, and introduce new funding mechanisms for their assets. FinancialContent
• [New] In total, BMW will launch 40 new or updated models across its ICE and EV line-up by 2027, all of them including Neue Klasse tech and design to some degree. EV Central

Last updated: 15 September 2025