The latest Big Picture reports are out and cover a wide range of topics from financial markets to supply chains and onward to technology and AI. Two of the authors, Lindsey Hall and Chris Rogers, join host Eric Hanselman to talk about sustainability, supply chains and AI. These are tightly interwoven and their dependencies spill out into geopolitics, as well. Sustainability conversations have focused on climate adaptation and resilience. Climate risks are growing and yet only 35% of businesses have adaptation plans in place. The urgent demands for AI infrastructure are consuming both energy and the materials to build data centers. Meeting those needs is shifting sustainability priorities for the companies looking to deploy AI, as well as energy focus. Renewables are still a key part of energy plans, but they've moved to an all-of-the-above approach to fuel AI-driven consumption levels.

It's been what could be called an un-fun year in supply chain. Uncertainty has become the new certainty. Changes in tariff policies have had the side effect of pushing the affected countries closer together. That's led to reshoring efforts, which have seen particular growth in ASEAN countries. One of complexities of this shift is that labor forces are now competing with manufacturing automation and robotics, rather than skills and cost differentials in different regions. The rise of agentic AI is only increasing pressure on infrastructure and energy supplies as it accelerates operational velocity. 

More S&P Global Content:

• Insights in Motion: See the Big Picture
• How data, AI and standards can help address sustainability challenges
• 5 Climate Week NYC takeaways setting the scene for decision-making in 2026
• Three Tools for Trump Tariffs 2.0
• Climate costs are rising, but few companies have an adaptation plan
• All Things Sustainable Podcast
• Next in Tech podcast: Agentic Customer Experience
• CERAWeek Conference

For S&P Global Subscribers:

• Agents are already driving workplace impact and agentic AI adoption – Highlights from VotE: AI & Machine Learning
• Benchmarking digital maturity: Are businesses ready for agentic AI? – Highlights from VotE: Customer Experience & Commerce
• Pace of AI agent advancement could spur M&A in the sales automation market
• Big Picture Report: 2026 AI Outlook – Unleashing agentic potential

Credits:

• Host/Author: Eric Hanselman    
• Guests: Lindsey Hall, Chris Rogers
• Producer/Editor: Feranmi Adeoshun
• Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Kyra Smith