In 2026, global cloud vendors broke the nearly 20-year-old convention of "only decreasing prices and never increasing them," triggering a wave of price increases centered on AI computing power and high-end storage. With the explosion of AI intelligent agents, computing power has transformed from a universally accessible resource into a scarce strategic commodity. Cloud vendors are shifting from "selling computing power" to "selling intelligence," reconstructing their business ecosystem around tokens.

The turmoil in the Middle East has exacerbated Germany's energy crisis, with gas prices soaring by 60%, resulting in electricity prices in Germany being four times higher than in France. As a result, the German government has lowered its 2026 economic growth forecast to 0.6%. The Minister of Economy and Chancellor Merz have publicly reflected on the policy of abandoning nuclear power, characterizing it as a strategic mistake, and instead supporting new nuclear energy technologies and research in an attempt to reduce over-reliance on natural gas and rebuild national energy security.