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Sabre: From Content Complexity to Connected Retailing - 7 Transformations Redefining Travel in 2026 -- Led by the Rise of Agentic AI
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Dec. 9 -- Sabre, a travel technology company, issued the following news release:
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From Content Complexity to Connected Retailing: 7 Transformations Redefining Travel in 2026 -- Led by the Rise of Agentic AI
As consumers fill their carts this season, the travel industry is contending with its own retail rush. But instead of gadgets, gizmos, and goodies, it's all about offers, ancillaries, and airfares.
The industry seems to be at an inflection point: abundant content and data, coupled with mounting complexity. From generative AI and conversational commerce to modern
... Show Full Article
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Dec. 9 -- Sabre, a travel technology company, issued the following news release:
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From Content Complexity to Connected Retailing: 7 Transformations Redefining Travel in 2026 -- Led by the Rise of Agentic AI
As consumers fill their carts this season, the travel industry is contending with its own retail rush. But instead of gadgets, gizmos, and goodies, it's all about offers, ancillaries, and airfares.
The industry seems to be at an inflection point: abundant content and data, coupled with mounting complexity. From generative AI and conversational commerce to modernpayments, 2025 has been a year of transformation aimed at tackling that complexity. Entering 2026, the industry is poised to shift from "more" to "more meaningful," from content overload to connected retailing built on intelligence, curation, and trust.
Enterprise SaaS leader Sabre expects 2026 to bring a full-tilt lean into these emerging shifts, as AI-driven personalization, seamless automation, and comprehensive payment solutions redefine the traveler experience.
Let's take a look at the 7 travel retailing trends we'll be saying goodbye to as 2025 draws to a close, and what to say hello to in 2026...
Trend 1: Goodbye Static Chat, Hello Agentic Actions
In 2026, Generative AI will no longer be the shiny new experiment - it's part of everyday life and workflows, reshaping the inspiration phase of travel. Recent data show 80% of travelers are already using AI tools for travel planning and 65% prefer brands that use AI to personalize experiences.
But, if 2025 was the year GenAI became the norm, 2026 is the year of agentic intelligence - where systems not only suggest and assist with travel plans, but act based on user preferences. While GenAI chatbots have shown the potential, it's agentic AI that will eliminate friction between traveler intent and fulfilment.
The next step? Agentic systems that take autonomous actions on behalf of users - booking, rebooking, or optimizing trips in real time - all within governed frameworks. Sabre's first-to-market agentic APIs and Model Context Protocol (MCP) translator will accelerate this shift, enabling agentic AI to understand the complex language of travel technology. Next year will bring endless opportunities to transform travel using agentic AI - imagine an Irregular Operations Call-Centre Proxy Agent that waits on hold with an airline and secures a same-day rebooking, an Expense Filing Agent that submits corporate travel reports, or even a Hotel Ops Agent that confirms a late arrival and arranges oat milk in your coffee for breakfast. The possibilities for automated action are endless.
In 2026, we'll start to realize the true power of agentic AI, which goes way beyond traditional chatbots. It augments human expertise, orchestrating end-to-end tasks, automating repetitive work, accelerating time-consuming complex jobs, and unlocking insights from fragmented data to create seamless, personalized journeys. Imagine opening a simple chat and asking for everything you need for a trip, the date of the event, a hotel within walking distance, flights that arrive in time, seats you prefer, and a one-click checkout. No juggling tabs, no piecing together details, just a conversation that becomes an itinerary. This is not a far-off idea. It is the kind of AI-powered experience Sabre is building and demonstrating today and will see broad adoption in 2026.
For companies feeling the crunch of needing to implement agentic AI but looking for a little guidance, Sabre is offering two resources. Check out Sabre's Agentic Blueprint: A practical guide to building AI, and look for Agentic U, a training program led by in-house experts to help empower customers and partners accelerate towards an agentic future.
Trend 2: Goodbye Content Chaos, Hello Connected Retailing
If 2025 had a defining theme, it was content fragmentation. The industry reached a tipping point this year, with travel sellers managing more sources than ever before - from New Distribution Capability (NDC) and Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs) to direct connects and aggregators. For many, this created content chaos: too many channels, too little consistency, and rising complexity for both sellers and suppliers - and ultimately, travelers.
In a Sabre-commissioned global survey, most travel agencies reported managing four or more connections, driving up costs and undermining customer experience. Yet amid the noise, a clear need has emerged - simplification and unification. More than 80% of agencies said they want unified content access through a single platform.
In 2025, Sabre responded with SabreMosaic(TM) Travel Marketplace, bringing together the industry's widest breadth of travel content in one cloud-native, AI-infused place. SabreMosaic Travel Marketplace is made up of industry leading live NDC airline content, as well as offers from over 150 LCCs, traditional airline content, two million lodging options and over 70 car and rail providers. Even more content and capabilities are coming in 2026 - helping agencies turn fragmentation into seamless workflows.
Trend 3: Goodbye NDC as Emerging, Hello NDC as Expected
NDC has previously been the buzzword of airline retailing - new, optional, experimental. What was novel is now normal. With two-thirds of airlines implementing the standard, NDC is no longer a competitive differentiator; it has become a baseline expectation for modern airline retailing.
In 2026, the industry says goodbye to the idea of NDC as a standalone channel. The era of separate workflows, bespoke servicing processes and fragmented integrations is giving way to a connected approach that Sabre has long been leading, where agencies can shop, book and service NDC offers alongside traditional and low-cost carrier content. The shift signals a broader maturity: NDC is no longer a siloed experiment, but an integrated part of the retailing ecosystem that supports richer, data-driven offers without adding operational complexity.
The shift isn't just about more airlines going live - it's about the ecosystem finally having the capabilities that make NDC workable at scale. Agencies have been clear: for NDC to be genuinely compelling, three things must be in place - breadth of content, depth of capabilities, and the ability to run efficient, end-to-end workflows.
Over the past year, the industry has made substantial progress on all three. Sabre has an industry-leading number of live NDC airlines, currently at 42. The foundational capabilities agencies need to shop, book and service NDC offers - particularly robust servicing functionality - are now in place. At the same time, NDC is becoming tightly connected to the next wave of airline retailing innovation. Offer and Order concepts are moving rapidly from vision to possibility to practice, enabling carriers to think beyond distribution and towards more holistic offer management. Meanwhile, new technical enablers are emerging. One example is the rise of NDC caching solutions which will help agencies navigate airline-imposed look-to-book limits (more on that in #5) and support smarter, more efficient "intelligent shopping" strategies.
Another important evolution is the rise of NDC-IT as a bridge technology for airlines moving toward full Offer and Order-based retailing. NDC-IT gives carriers a way to expose richer, optimized, real time offers to third parties, even before they fully transition their systems.
Together, these shifts signal that NDC's "emerging" era has formally closed. The conversation is no longer about adoption - it's about optimization. NDC's role in 2026 is not to disrupt the ecosystem but to power it, as part of a more connected, more retail-ready marketplace.
Trend 4: Goodbye Direct-Only Detours, Welcome Back Indirect
For years, some airlines - particularly low-cost and hybrid carriers - carved their own paths outside the indirect channel, experimenting with alternative distribution models and direct-connect strategies. Others limited their indirect participation in pursuit of supposed cost savings or control. But, as travel retailing has evolved, so too has the realization that visibility, scale, and value matter.
In 2026, we're seeing a clear shift: a return to the fold for some, a first foray for others. Carriers that once operated on the sidelines are joining or re-joining the broader travel marketplace, integrating their content and retailing capabilities where demand truly lives - in connected platforms used daily by agencies and corporate buyers worldwide.
Sabre's own data and carrier feedback reflect this momentum. Airlines that expand their marketplace participation typically see immediate share gains and improved yield from high-value segments. Alaska Air Group's decision, for example, to restore full Hawaiian Airlines content to indirect channels and do away with Hawaiian's global distribution system surcharge is already delivering value. Direct-connect models, once seen as "the future," have often proved harder to scale, with higher servicing costs and fragmented customer experiences.
Sabre's expanded LCC and aggregated direct-connect content, launching in early 2026, will further simplify access to content from leading carriers. By offering unified workflows, richer retailing capabilities, and servicing parity across carrier types, Sabre is helping airlines transform distribution from an operational challenge into a strategic advantage.
Trend 5: Goodbye Look-to-Book Busts, Hello Intelligent Shopping
Looking for validation? 2026 will be the year you finally get it.
We've all been there: you search for a flight, find the perfect deal, click through... and suddenly the price has shot up, or the seat has vanished. In 2026, we say goodbye to that - and hello to the offer we want still being available to book.
So, why does this happen? It's because airlines and sellers long relied on caching to keep shopping fast and affordable. To protect system stability and cost, airlines impose strict Look-to-Book (LTB) limits - and when those limits are exceeded, they may throttle or even block agency traffic to safeguard performance. No system can return live, real-time availability for every single search. But, with shopping volumes exploding due to richer content and AI-powered requests, even well-designed caches come under pressure.
This problem has exploded across both direct and indirect channels in recent years. LTB ratios - the difference between searches and actual bookings - are soaring. In the 1990s, the average was around 10:1. By the end of 2025, it's estimated it will have reached 1,000:1 or higher - and could soon reach 20,000:1 or even 200,000:1 as richer offers and personalization expand exponentially.
But, while AI-driven search activity, together with fragmented content sources, is fueling this look-to-book surge, AI also holds the solution. In 2026, we'll say goodbye to inefficient, one-size-fits-all search models, and hello to predictive, intelligent caching that uses AI to anticipate demand, filter irrelevant results, and deliver real-time accuracy without overloading systems. In 2026, intelligent shopping technology will unify APIs, AI and cache to provide the industry and its travelers with a solution that is not only aware of applicable airline quotas and how to optimize them, but also provides AI-enhanced content validation, ensuring those cached offers that are still visible remain bookable - giving you the validation you need.
The result? Faster responses, lower costs, and a new era of predictive travel retailing.
Pricing and offer construction are undergoing similar transformation. SabreMosaic(TM) Continuous Revenue Optimizer (CRO) is one example of how airlines are breaking free of rigid fare classes and embracing continuous, classless pricing that adapts to real-time demand. And Sabre's broader offer optimization family of solutions - including Ancillary IQ, Upgrade IQ, and the upcoming Bundle IQ launching in 2026 - brings AI-powered insight to every element of the offer.
Together, these capabilities move the industry to intelligent offer management - where the right traveler gets the right offer at exactly the right time, validated, priced, and ready to book.
Trend 6: Goodbye Back-Office Payments, Hello Embedded Payment Intelligence
For most of the last decade, travel payments were treated like plumbing - essential, invisible, and rarely optimized. In 2026, that stance becomes untenable. Payments step out of the back office and into the retail engine, not as a cost to contain, but as intelligence to compound. The winners won't just process transactions; they'll orchestrate them, turning every authorization into a decision about margin, risk, cash flow, and trust.
Offer and order-based retailing has collapsed the distance between what a traveler sees and how a merchant gets paid. Checkout is now, essentially, an extension of the offer itself. If the offer adapts to a traveler's context, the payment must adapt with it. Anything less introduces friction, higher fees, or lost bookings.
In this new world, payment choice becomes part of the shopping experience, and payment insight becomes part of retail strategy. In 2026, travel providers will embrace payments as an integral product.
The shift is already underway. Payments are no longer a post-booking pain point, but one of the industry's most powerful enablers. Effective payment hubs are emerging as connected systems that simplify operations, reduce fraud, unlock global flexibility, and enrich the traveler experience. Virtual cards, digital wallets, and real-time APIs are transforming payments from a cost center into a driver of trust, transparency, and seamless retailing.
Sabre is rapidly accelerating that evolution through Sabre Payments - a unified fintech hub processing more than $20B in transactions annually. It streamlines travel payments processes for buyers and suppliers while offering value-add financial services.
Trend 7: Goodbye Locked-In Legacy, Hello Open, Modular Future
For decades, airlines have been locked into closed systems, rigid fare structures, and tightly coupled technology stacks that dictated how they priced, sold, and serviced travel. In 2026, that era ends - the new future is open, modular, flexible, and built for constant optimization.
Airlines are no longer locked into monolithic systems or all-or-nothing upgrades. Instead, they're embracing componentized, best-of-breed retailing architecture that allows them to modernize at their own pace, piece by piece, without being dependent on any single platform or vendor. This shift to openness is driven by the need to give airlines better control over how they create, price, distribute, and fulfill modern offers - including the ability to blend third-party content, dynamic products, and ancillary services into unified, service-ready orders - all optimized for a world where customer expectations and competitive dynamics change by the minute.
In this new era, modularity becomes the backbone of Offer and Order transformation. Airlines are increasingly adopting an architecture that mirrors IATA's emerging reference frameworks, where product catalog, offer management, order management, delivery, payment, and settlement are interoperable building blocks, not locked components.
2025 delivered a major proof point for this impending shift. During IATA's Modularity Proof-of-Concept program - which involves multi-vendor collaboration to demonstrate how different components can work together for an end-to-end experience - Sabre demonstrated true interoperability in action. It showcased the ability to search, sell, and fulfill a hybrid air-and-hotel bundle, including dynamic seat pricing, with full payment and settlement flow via ONE order. This proof of concept was built collaboratively with leading ecosystem partners, including Google, Hyatt Hotels, Lufthansa Systems, and CellPoint Digital, illustrating exactly how airlines can assemble best-of-breed components across the entire retailing lifecycle.
Together, these shifts mean airlines are no longer defined by systems they may have chosen decades ago - but by the ecosystems they choose to build now.
Looking Ahead
As we head into 2026, the direction is clear: the travel ecosystem is moving from fragmentation to flow - from disparate content to connected offers, from conversation to action, from data overload to intelligent automation, and from siloed systems to seamless retailing.
It's a future built on integration, intelligence, and intent - where AI technology powers smarter decisions, seamless journeys, and stronger connections across the travel ecosystem. Here's to putting all of that into our 2026 shopping cart!
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Sources:
[Text omitted]
Sabre. (2025). Chat at the new influencer. https://www.sabre.com/insights/chat-as-the-new-influencer/
Sabre. (2025) What I see vs what I take: What a TikTok trend about photography can tell us about content fragmentation and complexity in a multi-source world. https://www.sabre.com/research/content-fragmentation/
[Text omitted]
Travel Weekly. (2025). Dropping its NDC surcharge has paid off for Hawaiian Airlines. Dropping its GDS surcharge has paid off for Hawaiian Airlines: Travel Weekly
[Text omitted]
IATA. (2025). Look-to-book: managing search volumes while creating customer-centric offers. IATA - Look-to-Book White Paper
IATA, Reference Business Architecture. https://www.iata.org/en/programs/airline-distribution/retailing/business-reference-architecture/
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Original text here: https://www.sabre.com/insights/releases/from-content-complexity-to-connected-retailing-7-transformations-redefining-travel-in-2026-led-by-the-rise-of-agentic-ai/
[Category: BizComputer Technology]
NextEra Energy Resources, WPPI Energy Renew Nuclear Energy Agreement Into 2050s
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- NextEra Energy Resources LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc., both of Juno Beach, Florida, and WPPI Energy, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, announced an agreement to continue supplying electricity from the Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
WPPI Energy, a member-owned utility serving 51 locally owned utilities across Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan, will continue to purchase 168 megawatts (MW) of the plant's output well into the 2050s. The Point Beach facility is Wisconsin's sole operating nuclear plant, generating nearly 15% of the state's power.
A President
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- NextEra Energy Resources LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc., both of Juno Beach, Florida, and WPPI Energy, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, announced an agreement to continue supplying electricity from the Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
WPPI Energy, a member-owned utility serving 51 locally owned utilities across Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan, will continue to purchase 168 megawatts (MW) of the plant's output well into the 2050s. The Point Beach facility is Wisconsin's sole operating nuclear plant, generating nearly 15% of the state's power.
A Presidentand CEO of NextEra Energy Resources, Brian Bolster, noted that long-term access to nuclear generation is increasingly important as electricity demand grows across the Upper Midwest. The agreement follows the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval in September for the plant's subsequent license renewal, allowing it to operate for another 20 years.
A President and CEO of WPPI Energy, Mike Peters, emphasized the value of the collaboration and the importance of securing this carbon-free baseload resource into the 2050s. He stated that the agreement supports the membership's long-term strategy of maintaining a stable, diverse power supply amidst a rapidly changing industry.
-- Lin Andre Vitin, Targeted News Service
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Source and date of original text: Dec. 8, 2025, https://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/2025-12-08-NextEra-Energy-Resources-and-WPPI-Energy-Sign-New-Agreement-to-Serve-the-Upper-Midwest-with-Nuclear-Energy?l=12
[Category: BizEnergy]
Lockheed Martin and Hadrian Collaborate to Advance Manufacturing Capabilities
BETHESDA, Maryland, Dec. 9 [Category: BizAerospace] -- Lockheed Martin posted the following news release:
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Lockheed Martin and Hadrian Collaborate to Advance Manufacturing Capabilities
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, Dec. 8, 2025 - Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Hadrian have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the pace and value of advanced American manufacturing at Lockheed Martin, building a more resilient and scalable industrial base.
The Big Picture
Under this agreement, Hadrian will deploy its factory-as-a-service model, which includes embedding a scalable machining
... Show Full Article
BETHESDA, Maryland, Dec. 9 [Category: BizAerospace] -- Lockheed Martin posted the following news release:
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Lockheed Martin and Hadrian Collaborate to Advance Manufacturing Capabilities
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, Dec. 8, 2025 - Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Hadrian have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the pace and value of advanced American manufacturing at Lockheed Martin, building a more resilient and scalable industrial base.
The Big Picture
Under this agreement, Hadrian will deploy its factory-as-a-service model, which includes embedding a scalable machiningmanufacturing and inspection cell, to produce parts at a Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control site. This flexible production cell is comprised of computer numerical control (CNC) machines, advanced robotics and Hadrian's manufacturing execution platform, which will enable Lockheed Martin and Hadrian to increase rate for a variety of machined parts quickly and efficiently for products like PAC-3 MSE(R), THAAD, PrSM and GMLRS.
Expert Perspectives
"We are excited to collaborate with Hadrian to deploy their automated machining and inspection technology to strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and supply chain," said Tom Carrubba, vice president, production operations at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This project is a key enabler for Lockheed Martin to increase production output capacity, ensuring we can meet the high demand for our customers' munitions needs."
"This partnership is a model for how emerging and established players can work together to build faster, more resilient defense production," said Chris Power, CEO of Hadrian. "By combining Hadrian's advanced manufacturing capabilities with Lockheed Martin's expertise, we're streamlining production for current and future critical programs and laying the groundwork for more collaborations like this across the industry."
Additional Context
By uniting advanced manufacturing with proven defense capabilities, this partnership aims to create a more resilient and responsive production ecosystem, one that becomes more capable as demands grow and challenges emerge.
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About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security(R) vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.
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About Hadrian
Hadrian is the factory of the future, transforming the U.S. industrial base by building highly automated factories that supercharge American workers with process engineering, AI, machine learning, and robotics to Reindustrialize America and compete head to head with China's industrial base. Its mission is to enable space and defense manufacturers to produce domestically at globally competitive costs, restoring U.S. industrial supremacy and countering China's manufacturing advantages. Currently, Hadrian operates a 100,000-square-foot factory in Torrance, CA, and is in the process of developing other production sites. More information at https://www.hadrian.co/.
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Original text here: https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-12-08-lockheed-martin-and-hadrian-collaborate-to-advance-manufacturing-capabilities
IHeartPodcasts Announces 'Killer Thriller' With Actress Elisa Donovan, Executive Produced by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 9 [Category: BizMedia] -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release on Dec. 8, 2025:
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iHeartPodcasts Announces "Killer Thriller" with Actress Elisa Donovan, Executive Produced by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes
A true-crime podcast told through an actor's lens joins iHeart's Popworthy slate, living within the "Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present" podcast feed
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LOS ANGELES - iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced "Killer Thriller," a new true crime series hosted by actress and author Elisa Donovan. The podcast is
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 9 [Category: BizMedia] -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release on Dec. 8, 2025:
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iHeartPodcasts Announces "Killer Thriller" with Actress Elisa Donovan, Executive Produced by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes
A true-crime podcast told through an actor's lens joins iHeart's Popworthy slate, living within the "Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present" podcast feed
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LOS ANGELES - iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, today announced "Killer Thriller," a new true crime series hosted by actress and author Elisa Donovan. The podcast isexecutive produced by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes and is a part of the duo's expanded partnership on iHeart's Popworthy slate of shows. Listen to the premiere episode available now here.
Donovan is best known for her iconic roles in the 1990s, rising to fame as Amber in "Clueless" and its television adaptation, and went on to star in popular series including "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." Now, she will bring her experience and perspective to the true crime genre, offering listeners a different look at some of the darkest and most compelling headlines.
The premiere episode will feature Donovan alongside Robach and Holmes as they explore why true crime culture continues to dominate entertainment. The podcast will take listeners deep into the real stories and portrayals behind some of the most talked-about cases of murder, kidnappings, sex cults, and fraud, including the Menendez brothers, the Murdaugh murders, Amanda Knox, Elizabeth Holmes, O.J. Simpson, Anna Delvey, and many others. Donovan will also sit down with actors who portray the infamous and unforgettable perpetrators in TV and film adaptations of major crime stories that continue to captivate audiences.
"Killer Thriller" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts as part of its Popworthy slate, where trending culture and nostalgia intersect. The series will live within the "Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present" podcast feed, alongside additional true-crime projects rolling out in 2026. Listen on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Follow @killerthrillerpod, @reddonovan and @popworthypodcasts on Instagram for updates.
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About iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the size of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, with five times more followers than the next audio media brand, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
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Listen to the premiere episode here (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-amy-robach-tj-holmes-pres-275763815/episode/introducing-killer-thriller-311404542/)
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Original text here: https://www.iheartmedia.com/press/iheartpodcasts-announces-killer-thriller-actress-elisa-donovan-executive-produced-amy-robach
Gartner Predicts Only 5% of Automakers Will Keep Investing Heavily in AI by 2029
STAMFORD, Connecticut, Dec. 9 (TNSrep) -- Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company, issued the following news release on Dec. 8, 2025:
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Gartner Predicts Only 5% of Automakers Will Keep Investing Heavily in AI by 2029
Fully-Automated Vehicle Assembly to Become a Reality by 2030
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By 2029, only 5% of automakers will maintain strong AI investment growth, a decline from over 95% today, predicts Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.
"The automotive sector is currently experiencing a period of AI euphoria, where many companies want to achieve disruptive
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STAMFORD, Connecticut, Dec. 9 (TNSrep) -- Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company, issued the following news release on Dec. 8, 2025:
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Gartner Predicts Only 5% of Automakers Will Keep Investing Heavily in AI by 2029
Fully-Automated Vehicle Assembly to Become a Reality by 2030
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By 2029, only 5% of automakers will maintain strong AI investment growth, a decline from over 95% today, predicts Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company.
"The automotive sector is currently experiencing a period of AI euphoria, where many companies want to achieve disruptivevalue even before building strong AI foundations," said Pedro Pacheco, VP Analyst at Gartner. "This euphoria will eventually turn into disappointment as these organizations are not able to achieve the ambitious goals they set for AI."
Gartner predicts that only a handful of automotive companies will maintain ambitious AI initiatives after the next five years. Organizations with strong software foundations, tech-savvy leadership, and a consistent very long-term focus on AI will pull ahead from the rest, creating a competitive AI divide.
"Software and data are the cornerstones of AI," said Pacheco. "Companies with advanced maturity in these areas have a natural head start. In addition, automotive companies led by execs with strong tech know-how are more likely to make AI their top priority instead of sticking to the traditional priorities of an automotive company."
Fully-Automated Vehicle Assembly Predicted by 2030
The automotive industry is also heading for radical operational efficiency. As automakers rapidly integrate advanced robotics into their assembly lines, Gartner predicts that by 2030, at least one automaker will achieve fully automated vehicle assembly, marking a historic shift in the automotive sector.
"The race toward full automation is accelerating, with nearly half of the world's top automakers (12 out of 25) already piloting advanced robotics in their factories," said Marco Sandrone, VP Analyst at Gartner. "Automated vehicle assembly helps automakers reduce labor costs, improve quality, and shorten production cycle times. For consumers, this means better vehicles at potentially lower prices."
While it may reduce the direct need for human labor in vehicle assembly, new roles in AI oversight, robotics maintenance and software development could offset losses if reskilling programs are prioritized.
Gartner clients can read more in the report Predicts 2026: Automotive (https://www.gartner.com/document-reader/document/7087598).
Gartner Is the World Authority on AI
Gartner is the indispensable partner to C-Level executives and technology providers as they implement AI strategies to achieve their mission-critical priorities. The independence and objectivity of Gartner insights provide clients with the confidence to make informed decisions and unlock the full potential of AI. Clients across the C-Level are using Gartner's proprietary AskGartner AI tool to determine how to leverage AI in their business. With more than 2,500 business and technology experts, 6,000 written insights, as well as more than 1,000 AI use cases and case studies, Gartner is the world authority on AI. More information can be found here.
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About Gartner for Information Technology Executives
Gartner for Information Technology Executives provides actionable, objective insight to CIOs and IT leaders to help them drive their organizations through digital transformation and lead business growth. Additional information is available at www.gartner.com/en/information-technology. Follow news and updates from Gartner for IT Executives on X and LinkedIn using #GartnerIT. Visit the IT Newsroom for more information and insights.
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Original text here: https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-12-08-gartner-predicts-only-5-percent-of-automakers-will-keep-investing-heavily-in-artificial-intelligence-by-2029
[Category: BizConsulting]
Fluor Joint Venture Completes Second LNG Canada Production Train
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Fluor Corp., Irving, Texas, announced that its joint venture with JGC Corp. has completed Train 2 of the LNG Canada Project, marking the successful conclusion of the first phase of Canada's inaugural Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) mega-project in Kitimat, British Columbia.
The completion and safe handover of the second production train were attributed to the teamwork and dedication of the thousands of workers involved, demonstrating a commitment to safety, quality, and schedule performance. A Fluor Executive stated that the project will now deliver Canadian natural gas to the
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Fluor Corp., Irving, Texas, announced that its joint venture with JGC Corp. has completed Train 2 of the LNG Canada Project, marking the successful conclusion of the first phase of Canada's inaugural Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) mega-project in Kitimat, British Columbia.
The completion and safe handover of the second production train were attributed to the teamwork and dedication of the thousands of workers involved, demonstrating a commitment to safety, quality, and schedule performance. A Fluor Executive stated that the project will now deliver Canadian natural gas to theworld. The project has also delivered significant economic benefits, including more than $3.3 billion CAD contracted with Indigenous businesses and joint ventures, along with over $550 million CAD spent with local area businesses.
The LNG Canada facility, located on the country's west coast, is designed to export natural gas to global markets with a focus on environmental performance and economic development in British Columbia. The facility benefits from access to abundant natural gas and an ice-free harbor.
The plant includes a natural gas receiving and liquification facility, a marine terminal capable of accommodating large LNG carriers, a tugboat dock, and various processing units and storage tanks. This first-of-its-kind Canadian facility has an annual production capacity of up to 14 million tonnes of LNG.
The LNG Canada venture is a collaboration comprising Shell plc (40%), PETRONAS (25%), PetroChina Company Limited (15%), Mitsubishi Corporation (15%), and Korea Gas Corporation (5%). Fluor's history in Canada spans over 75 years, delivering engineering and construction services across major infrastructure projects.
-- Lin Andre Vitin, Targeted News Service
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Source and date of original text: Dec. 8, 2025, https://newsroom.fluor.com/news-releases/news-details/2025/Fluor-Joint-Venture-Hands-Over-Second-Production-Train-to-LNG-Canada/default.aspx
Bankrate: Nationally, More Than 75% Of Homes on the Market Are Unaffordable to the Typical Household
NEW YORK, Dec. 9 (TNSrep) -- Bankrate, a provider of financial services, issued the following news release:
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Nationally, More than 75% Of Homes on the Market Are Unaffordable to the Typical Household
The gap between what the typical U.S. household earns and what is needed to afford a median-priced home now tops $30,000
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In America's largest cities, homeownership is turning into a luxury item that many cannot afford. A new Bankrate analysis of real estate and income data shows that typical households earning the median income are priced out of more than 75% of homes on the U.S. market.
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Dec. 9 (TNSrep) -- Bankrate, a provider of financial services, issued the following news release:
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Nationally, More than 75% Of Homes on the Market Are Unaffordable to the Typical Household
The gap between what the typical U.S. household earns and what is needed to afford a median-priced home now tops $30,000
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In America's largest cities, homeownership is turning into a luxury item that many cannot afford. A new Bankrate analysis of real estate and income data shows that typical households earning the median income are priced out of more than 75% of homes on the U.S. market.
For more information, click here: https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/american-dream-of-homeownership-turning-into-luxury/
The typical U.S. household earns almost $80,000 per year, according to the Claritas estimates of U.S. Census Bureau data. Yet potential homebuyers would need to earn $113,000 per year to afford a median-priced home, as of July 2025. To show how tough the market is for would-be buyers, Bankrate looked at a key statistic: the share of available homes in a given real estate market that are affordable to the typical household.
In most major metros, only a small fraction of homes for sale are within reach for the median household income. Bankrate's analysis found that in markets like Miami and Los Angeles, fewer than 1 in 200 listings are affordable to the typical household. On the other hand, several large markets in the Rust Belt and South still offer a glimmer of hope and a measure of affordability in 2025, with typical homebuyers in Pittsburgh and St. Louis can still afford 1 in 2 listings.
Table: Metros where affordable homes are hardest and easiest to find
"For many families, the challenge isn't just high home prices and elevated mortgage rates. It's that housing shortages across the country have left them with far fewer homes they can afford," said Alex Gailey, Data Analyst at Bankrate. "When only a sliver of the market is affordable to the typical household, homeownership starts to feel less like a milestone and more like a luxury. It's no surprise that one in six aspiring homeowners have walked away in the last five years."
Further, the income needed to afford a median-priced home exceeds what the typical household earns in most major metro areas. In metros across the Northeast and along the West Coast, home prices continue to be stubbornly high, leaving many middle-income buyers with few options.
Table: Most and least affordable metros by income
"Affordability looks very different depending on where you live. Some large cities still give median-income households a path to buying a home, while others have become increasingly difficult to break into," Gailey said. "For aspiring homeowners, the best approach is to stay adaptable and know your numbers. Get preapproved, set a firm budget, broaden your search and stay open to different home types. First-time buyer programs can also help bridge the gap."
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Methodology:
Bankrate analyzed Realtor.com and Redfin data to determine the share of homes affordable to households earning the median income in the 34 largest U.S. metros as of July. The analysis also calculated the income needed to afford a median-priced home in each metro. National and metro-level income figures for typical households are from Claritas and reflect the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The maximum target home price for each market was based on all-in annual homeownership costs, including mortgage payments, property taxes and home insurance. Annual housing costs assume a 20 percent down payment, the 52-week average 30-year mortgage rate of 6.80% and include property taxes and home insurance. Homes were considered affordable if annual housing costs did not exceed 30 percent of a household's gross income in each metro area.
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About Bankrate:
Bankrate has guided savers and spenders through the next steps of their financial journeys since 1976. Whether it's rates or information on mortgages, investing, credit cards, personal loans, or insurance, the company offers various free resources to help consumers reach their goals. From product comparison tools to award-winning editorial content, Bankrate provides objective information and actionable next steps. It's why over 100 million people put their trust in Bankrate every year.
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Original text here: https://www.bankrate.com/f/102997/x/de9e2f642f/homebuyer-data-study-press-release-2025.pdf
[Category: BizFinancial Services]
