A $25 billion judgment against Meta puts a price on misleading privacy promises. With 15% annual interest attached, New Mexico raises the stakes of enforcement. But will financial pressure translate into verifiable user control—and what can Europe learn?
Infrastructure
Physical and digital networks shaping connectivity, productivity and the foundations of modern economic activity.
Wall Street is becoming more selective about the price of technological promise. Delayed IPOs raise five questions about valuations, investor expectations, shareholder exits and the balance between financial discipline and the capital required to build tomorrow’s businesses.
Artificial intelligence is pushing computing beyond the practical limits of electricity alone. As communication becomes the defining challenge of modern compute, integrated photonics may reshape the architecture of computing itself—using light to move information faster, more efficiently and with less energy.
Warren Buffett’s decision to redirect billions away from the Gates Foundation is about more than philanthropy. It raises a broader ethical question: can institutions built on extraordinary private wealth sustain public trust independently of the individuals who created them?
As hyperscale cloud infrastructure becomes part of the foundation of modern government, digital sovereignty is evolving into a global strategic challenge. Meridian Exchange 2026 explores how governance, resilience and trusted digital ecosystems may shape the next era of national infrastructure.






