Global Scans · Lifestyles · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Digital lifestyles are on the rise around the world and AR and VR will likely see us all using wearables, head-mounted displays and smartphones in almost everything we do. And, most of us will be living in cities too with full amenities close by.

• [New] Home values are expected to continue rising into 2026, but the pace of gains is likely to slow as affordability and serviceability constraints impose a natural ceiling on housing prices. Property Update
• [New] Many countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are scaling up national CRC screening programs as lifestyles westernize and risk factors (like obesity and smoking) rise. Persistence Market Research
• [New] By 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse for work, shopping, education, social interaction, or entertainment. Devsu
• [New] Christmas 2025 will mark a turning point for agentic AI adoption, as consumers increasingly turn to intelligent digital agents to manage the stress, cost and complexity of peak-season shopping. Financial IT
• [New] Amazon will expand logistics, data, and digital infrastructure, and strengthen AI-enabled marketplace and shopping features. Guidely
• [New] In 2026, expect growing interest in foods and beverages that deliver both nutrients together, with a focus on convenient options that support digestive wellness, balanced energy, and busy on-the-go lifestyles. FoodMinds
• [New] By 2030 nearly half of U.S. online shoppers could be using AI shopping agents, adding $100 billion in incremental e-commerce sales. The AI Innovator
• [New] In the U.S., social commerce is on track to exceed $100 billion in annual sales by the mid-2020s, fueled heavily by TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, Facebook / Meta platforms and retail media tie-ups. The AI Innovator
• [New] 88% of Australians are open to AI managing post-purchase needs such as delivery updates or returns, and 62% expect AI to be a standard part of the online shopping experience by 2026. The Sydney Morning Herald
• [New] In 2024, over 6 in 10 Black Friday buyers pre-planned their purchases, which Mintel analysts predict to rise in 2025, highlighting a move from impulse buys to strategic, budget-driven shopping. Mintel
• [New] Online spend from November through December is projected to reach a record-breaking $253.4 billion, officially making 2025 the first-ever quarter-trillion-dollar holiday shopping season. ALGO Online Retail
• [New] For the holiday shopping season as a whole, the NRF forecasts sales will rise between 3.7% to 4.2%, topping $1 trillion. News Channel 3-12
• [New] A majority of holiday shoppers plan to use social media and AI tools to make shopping easier in 2025 - from researching gift ideas and discovering sales. Retail Technology Innovation Hub
• [New] Meesho plans to invest heavily in chat - and voice-based AI agents to make shopping easier, especially for first-time users in smaller towns where many people are coming online for the first time. / India Tech Startups - Tech News, Tech Trends & Startup Fundin
• [New] We anticipate a shift in shopper behaviour: more browsing, tighter wallets and even greater focus on trade dollar efficiency as Amazon scales back promotions. CommerceIQ
• [New] While OpenAI continues innovating with shopping features, group chats, and advanced reasoning models, mounting legal challenges over mental health risks signal the need for more robust safety measures. The Tech Buzz
• [New] Structured lifestyle changes can significantly improve cognitive performance in older adults at risk for decline. Fingerlakes1.com
• [New] Lower gray matter volume at baseline predicted higher reward-seeking behaviour two years later, suggesting a meaningful link between early brain development and later behavioral tendencies. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• [New] Consumer behaviour is expected to shift considerably in the coming years, driven by heightened awareness of environmental issues. Joindecker
• [New] 2025 sees a push towards Continuous Adaptive Trust, where authentication is not a one time event but a continuous assessment of risk based on behaviour, location, and device health. DeepStrike
• [New] Customers are increasingly using AI as a starting point, as 17% of unique online shoppers say they will begin their holiday shopping with an AI platform such as ChatGPT or Perplexity, and 30% plan to start with Google search, which is now also AI-enabled. / USA Bain
• [New] In 2025, forward-looking real estate firms are using AI to score leads, predict buyer behaviour, and tailor outreach. Medium

Last updated: 18 December 2025