Signal File: what this week’s headlines reveal about new intelligence infrastructures
This week’s signals explore how innovation now depends on invisible systems – carbon tracking, cultural change, and the power grids of AI
Staying ahead in the evolving world of work means tuning into the signals shaping where and how innovation takes place. This week’s headlines trace the new infrastructures of intelligence. MVRDV is making carbon data open and actionable for architects, while Dell scales AI hardware to meet soaring compute demand. Deloitte’s global rollout of Anthropic’s Claude shows how cultural systems must evolve alongside technology, even as forecasts warn of AI’s immense appetite for energy.
MVRDV launches free carbon tool
Dutch studio MVRDV has released CarbonSpace, a free web tool that lets architects estimate embodied carbon from the earliest design sketches. Created by its research arm, MVRDV Next, the tool simplifies sustainability decisions by using basic inputs rather than complex data models. The aim is to make carbon thinking part of the creative process and foster an open, shared approach to low-carbon design.
In action: Make carbon visible from the start. Simple, open tools can help designers turn early ideas into measurable climate action.
Dell boosts profit targets on surging AI demand
Dell has nearly doubled its profit growth targets for the next four years, driven by rising demand for servers powering generative AI workloads. The company now expects adjusted earnings to grow by at least 15% annually and revenue by up to 9%, citing clients such as xAI and CoreWeave. With infrastructure now its strongest division, Dell’s scale and supply chain give it an edge in meeting the ‘compute hunger’ of the AI era.
In action: Build for the infrastructure age. As AI demand intensifies, investing in scalable, energy-efficient systems will define competitiveness across every industry.
Deloitte deploys Anthropic’s Claude
Deloitte is rolling out Anthropic’s Claude assistant to nearly half a million staff across 150 countries, marking the AI company’s largest enterprise deployment to date. The consulting giant will tailor Claude personas for specific roles – from auditors to developers – supported by an internal AI Center of Excellence. The move positions Deloitte as both a large-scale user and live testing ground for enterprise AI, turning everyday workflows into repeatable playbooks for clients.
In action: Treat AI rollout as cultural shift. Scaled adoption succeeds when employees are trained, supported, and empowered to experiment responsibly within clear guardrails.
AI boom fuels global energy demand
Citi estimates that by 2030, computing demand from artificial intelligence will require an additional 55 gigawatts of power capacity, roughly the equivalent of the UK’s entire energy grid, and generate US $2.8 trillion in new global investment.
In action: Design for energy intelligence. As AI’s footprint expands, efficiency and clean-power sourcing will become as critical to innovation as model performance itself.
