Last Updated on February 7, 2026 by Daily News Staff

When ‘Head in the Clouds’ Means Staying Ahead

(Family Features) You approve a mortgage in minutes, your medical claim is processed without a phone call and an order that left the warehouse this morning lands at your door by dinner. These moments define the rhythm of an economy powered by intelligent cloud infrastructure. Once seen as remote storage, the cloud has become the operational core where data, AI models and autonomous systems converge to make business faster, safer and more human. In this new reality, the smartest companies aren’t looking up to the cloud; they’re operating within it. Public cloud spending is projected to reach $723 billion in 2025, according to Gartner research,  reflecting a 21% increase year over year. At the same time, 90% of organizations are expected to adopt hybrid cloud by 2027. As cloud becomes the universal infrastructure for enterprise operations, the systems being built today aren’t just hosted in the cloud, they’re learning from it and adapting to it. Any cloud strategy that doesn’t account for AI workloads as native risks falling behind, holding the business back from delivering the experiences consumers rely on every day. After more than a decade of experimentation, most enterprises are still only partway up the curve. Based on Cognizant’s experience, roughly 1 in 5 enterprise workloads has moved to the cloud, while many of the most critical, including core banking, health care claims and enterprise resource planning, remain tied to legacy systems. These older environments were never designed for the scale or intelligence the modern economy demands. The next wave of progress – AI-driven products, predictive operations and autonomous decision-making – depends on cloud architectures designed to support intelligence natively. This means cloud and AI will advance together or not at all.

The Cognitive Cloud: Cloud and AI as One System

For years, many organizations treated migration as a finish line. Applications were lifted and shifted into the cloud with little redesign, trading one set of constraints for another. The result, in many cases, has been higher costs, fragmented data and limited room for innovation. “Cognitive cloud” represents a new phase of evolution. Imagine every process, from customer service to supply-chain management, powered by AI models that learn, reason and act within secure cloud environments. These systems store and interpret data, detect patterns, anticipate demand and automate decisions at a scale humans simply cannot match. In this architecture, AI and cloud operate in concert. The cloud provides computing power, scale and governance while AI adds autonomy, context and insight. Together, they form an integrated platform where cloud foundations and AI intelligence combine to enable collaboration between people and systems. This marks the rise of the responsive enterprise; one that senses change, adjusts instantly and builds trust through reliability. Cognitive cloud platforms combine data fabric, observability, FinOps and SecOps into an intelligent core that regulates itself in real time. The result is invisible to consumers but felt in every interaction: fewer errors, faster responses and consistent experiences.

Consumer Impact is Growing

The impact of cognitive cloud is already visible. In health care, 65% of U.S. insurance claims run through modernized, cloud-enabled platforms designed to reduce errors and speed up reimbursement. In the life sciences industry, a pharmaceuticals and diagnostics firm used cloud-native automation to increase clinical trial investigations by 20%, helping get treatments to patients sooner. In food service, intelligent cloud systems have reduced peak staffing needs by 35%, in part through real-time demand forecasting and automated kitchen operation. In insurance, modernization has produced multi-million-dollar savings and faster policy issuance, improving both customer experience and financial performance. Beneath these outcomes is the same principle: architecture that learns and responds in real time. AI-driven cloud systems process vast volumes of data, identify patterns as they emerge and automate routines so people can focus on innovation, care and service. For businesses, this means fewer bottlenecks and more predictive operations. For consumers, it means smarter, faster, more reliable services, quietly shaping everyday life. While cloud engineering and AI disciplines remain distinct, their outcomes are increasingly intertwined. The most advanced architectures now treat intelligence and infrastructure as complementary forces, each amplifying the other.

Looking Ahead

This transformation is already underway. Self-correcting systems predict disruptions before they happen, AI models adapt to market shifts in real time and operations learn from every transaction. The organizations mastering this convergence are quietly redefining themselves and the competitive landscape. Cloud and AI have become interdependent priorities within a shared ecosystem that moves data, decisions and experiences at the speed customers expect. Companies that modernize around this reality and treat intelligence as infrastructure will likely be empowered to reinvent continuously. Those that don’t may spend more time maintaining the systems of yesterday than building the businesses of tomorrow. Learn more at cognizant.com.   Photo courtesy of Shutterstock SOURCE: Cognizant

Culver’s Thank You Farmers® Project Hits $8 Million Donation Milestone

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Last Updated on January 26, 2026 by Daily News Staff

5 Tips to Upgrade Your Home Office

(Family Features) Hybrid schedules and remote work have become the norm for many people, which means a functional and inspiring workspace is more necessity than luxury. With the right setup – be it a dedicated room or a cozy corner – your space can boost productivity, spark creativity and make your workday more enjoyable. Consider these ideas to blend function, comfort and style, and create a home office that inspires creativity and makes you want to sit down and get things done. Focus on Comfort The desk and chair are the foundation of any home office. Be sure to build a setup that matches your work style by picking the right height desk (with the proper amount of storage and workspace to complete your tasks) and an adjustable chair with good lumbar support. If you’re at your computer most of the time during the day, an ergonomic keyboard and monitor stand can also make a comfortable difference. Create a Clutter-Free Work Zone Incorporating smart storage solutions like shelves, filing cabinets or baskets can help keep your workspace tidy and free of distracting clutter. Desk trays can keep small office supplies organized and within easy reach while maintaining a clean aesthetic. Add Personality with Decor Much like the rest of your home, your workspace should reflect your personality and style. Add artwork, decorative accents, plants or a photo wall to bring inspiration and freshness to your office and choose a color palette that promotes positivity and focus, such as soft blues, greens or neutrals. Layer Functional Lighting For optimal productivity, combine natural light with task and ambient lighting. If possible, position your desk near a window to capture natural light then supplement your space with a desk lamp for focused illumination and floor lamps, under-shelf lighting or wall sconces to add warmth and depth. Don’t Forget Acoustics Distracting noises can negatively impact focus. To absorb sound, use soft furnishings like rugs, upholstered chairs or curtains and consider a white noise machine if you need a more soothing work environment. Find more ideas to update every room in your house at eLivingtoday.com.   Photo courtesy of Shutterstock SOURCE: eLivingtoday.com