As we approach 2025, technology is progressing to further transform our personal lives, workplaces, and industries. From advancements in AI and cybersecurity to the growth of robotic process automation, the year promises exciting changes that reflect many of the ongoing investments and developments in tech.
By becoming aware of the trends that will dominate the coming year, industry leaders and professionals can prepare their organizations and have a strategic advantage in the ever-evolving and competitive tech landscape. Here is a breakdown of a few of these trends:
1. Continued growth of AI
Perhaps the most popular and fastest growing form of technology in recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to continue evolving and becoming more accessible by everyone, not just large businesses. More and more open-source AI solutions are becoming available, allowing for a faster democratization of these technologies. A prime example is ChatGPT, the chatbot created by OpenAI - since its release in 2022, it has been continuously used by millions of people and become a basis that other large tech companies are using to design their own chatbots.
AI is evolving at a rapid pace, now bringing forth ideas like Agentic AI which is autonomous and able to carry out instructions and goals set by a user without having to continuously input prompts. With these advancements also comes governance platforms that allow organizations to manage the legal, ethical and operational performance of their AI systems. 2025 should become a year that focuses more on the ethical use of AI, building more trust and accountability with the use of these technologies.
Some key AI statistics reported by Forbes:
AI market size is expected to reach $1,339 billion by 2030
ChatGPT had 1 million users within the first five days of being available
64% of businesses expect AI to increase productivity
72% of businesses have adopted AI for at least one business function
2. Advancements in cybersecurity
There is so much data that is being stored in the cloud by billions of people around the world. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the total global data storage is projected to exceed 200 zettabytes by 2025; this includes data stored on private and public IT infrastructures, on utility infrastructures, on private and public cloud data centers, on personal computing devices, and on IoT (Internet-of-Things) devices.
Cyber attacks have become an increasingly prevalent threat to individuals and large businesses alike. These attacks can be detrimental to companies, causing financial losses and potential theft of important data and information. Cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated in their operations, with advanced phishing techniques and growing use of deepfakes emerging as huge threats to business data. These attacks are causing businesses to improve their cybersecurity strategies using AI and other advanced technologies.
3. Improving sustainability
As more organizations become aware of their carbon footprint, 2025 will present a focus on reducing negative environmental impacts that stem from the use of technology. Many businesses have been investing in clean technology, and it is expected to continue in the next year. Growing compute-intensive technologies like AI are driving the demand for energy-efficient computing to reduce the energy consumption of IT systems. We can expect to see an increase in sustainability efforts through more efficient architecture, code, and algorithms, as well as the use of renewable energy to run systems.
4. Rise of ambient computing
Ambient computing refers to technology seamlessly integrated into our environments, allowing devices, sensors, and interfaces to operate in the background, without requiring direct user input. In this model, the technology becomes “invisible” as it works automatically to anticipate and respond to user needs based on contextual awareness. Some examples include voice assistants and smartphone-controlled thermostats, but there is still much that can be done to make these technologies even more unobtrusive, and it will certainly be a focus in 2025.
5. Growth of Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Robotic process automation is expected to grow and expand into more industries – automating repetitive tasks in finance, customer service, and HR, freeing up human resources for more creative and strategic roles. Many businesses lose valuable employee time to repetitive and tedious tasks, and with RPA, they can make up for that loss in productivity with automated technology. RPA has a record of doing these tasks faster and more accurately than humans, leaving employees much more time and energy to perform more strategic jobs.
2025 promises to be an exciting year for technology, with innovations across various fields reshaping our lives and industries. As these trends evolve, they will bring new challenges and opportunities. Businesses, individuals, and governments must prepare for this transformative year by staying informed, investing in upskilling, and considering ethical implications to ensure technology benefits all.
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