Ivan Shkvarun is the Co-founder and CRO of the data-driven investigation company Social Links (USA).
As we enter 2025, technology continues to reshape our world in ways that would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. From AI-powered nuclear facilities to invisible intelligent assistants that anticipate our needs, this year’s technological landscape is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Let’s explore ten of these trends.
1. Nuclear Power For AI Infrastructure
Nuclear energy is set to dominate in 2025, with growing interest in clean, reliable power to meet rising energy demands from AI and high-energy technologies. AI’s massive energy needs are pushing tech giants toward nuclear solutions, spurring investments in reactor innovation and waste management as renewables alone prove insufficient.
2. Agentic AI
Gartner has named agentic AI the top tech trend for 2025. The term refers to autonomous machine “agents” that go beyond the query-and-response functionality of generative chatbots. These agents can perform enterprise-related tasks independently without human intervention.
Some common applications of agentic AI include:
• Self-driving cars.
• Robotic process automation.
• Virtual assistants.
3. Neuromorphic Computing
Neuromorphic computing is an innovative approach to computation that mimics the architecture and functionality of the human brain.
Unlike traditional computing architectures, which process information sequentially and are often constrained by energy and speed limits, neuromorphic systems are designed to process information in parallel, much like neural networks in the brain.
Neuromorphic computing leverages the brain’s strengths by using an architecture where chips act like neurons. The result is a quantum leap in performance.
4. Synthetic Media
Synthetic media refers to media platforms that feature content created exclusively with the help of AI.
In mid-October, the radio station OFF Radio Krakow presented three hosts created with the help of AI. Virtual announcers Emi, Kuba and Alex were programmed based on the description made by the editorial journalists. The appearance of such hosts was supposed to attract a young and active audience, but in fact, it caused a mixed reaction.
As a result, a week after the virtual announcers “started working,” the experiment was closed. Some analysts are sure that this is only a trial step, and next year, we will again hear about new synthetic media creating and distributing AI content.
5. Extended Reality (XR)
By 2025, I believe XR will have a profound impact on education, training, retail and entertainment.
For example, students will immerse themselves in historical events through virtual reality, while augmented reality will enable technicians to perform complex repairs with real-time digital overlays. These advancements will blur the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds, creating more engaging and efficient solutions.
XR combines VR and mixed reality (MR). I expect this technology will be most in demand in areas where the cost of human error is too high. With the proper level of development and distribution, XR will not only optimize training costs but also significantly improve its quality and the level of engagement of new employees.
6. Micro LLMs
Micro LLMs represent a new direction in natural language processing that focuses on creating compact, efficient versions of large language models without significantly compromising their capabilities.
These models are tailored for environments where computational resources, storage or energy consumption is constrained, such as mobile devices, edge computing or real-time applications.
The creation of micro LLMs for specific tasks can significantly simplify access to the capabilities of highly developed generative AI, including for medium and small businesses.
7. Post-Quantum Cryptography
Alphabet unveiled its own 105-qubit quantum processor called Willow. The company says it can solve a problem in five minutes that would take the fastest computers today 10 septillion years.
The Willow chip is a major step on a journey that began over 10 years ago. The Google Research team has charted a long-term roadmap, and Willow moves us significantly along that path toward commercially relevant applications.
Amid this, market participants increasingly talk about the “post-quantum” era, when quantum computers can easily break current encryption methods.
8. Hybrid Computer Systems
Hybrid computing systems combine various types of computer systems—such as traditional/network, cloud, edge (e.g., for collecting data from surveillance cameras), quantum and neuromorphic—to collaboratively perform tasks.
These systems optimize complex task execution by distributing the workload across different computing components. However, the very complexity of hybrid models can become a drawback. If the model is poorly designed or tasks are inefficiently allocated, it can lead to delays or operational failures.
9. Spatial Computing
If different platforms can interact within hybrid systems, then the symbiosis of advanced computer systems (VR, AR, AI and IoT) with humans is called “spatial computing.”
Apple released its first gadget in the spatial computing segment in February 2024—Vision Pro glasses—and I expect that other companies will also start bringing their competing devices to the market in this new year.
This market includes devices and components necessary for human interaction with a virtual digital environment, such as:
• Sensors and cameras with AI technologies.
• Corresponding software.
• Video mapping (a three-dimensional projection onto a physical object of the environment, taking into account its geometry and location in space).
• Human-computer interaction systems (voice commands, gestures, pupil movements, touch, etc.).
• AI and machine learning systems.
According to Gartner, “By 2033,…spatial computing will grow to $1.7 trillion, up from $110 billion in 2023.”
10. Ambient Invisible Intelligence
Ambient invisible intelligence refers to the seamless integration of advanced AI and computing technologies into our environment, operating in the background to enhance our lives without requiring active input or even visible presence.
It represents a shift from explicit interaction with technology (like using a smartphone or a computer that distracts a person) to implicit and intuitive engagement, where technology becomes a “silent assistant,” responding automatically to our needs.
Applications of ambient invisible intelligence include in smart homes, healthcare, workplaces, retail, transportation and smart cities.
The technology trends of 2025 paint a picture of a world where the lines between human and machine intelligence are increasingly blurred yet remarkably complementary. While these advances bring both excitement and challenges, one thing is clear: The future we once imagined is unfolding right before our eyes, and it’s even more fascinating than we anticipated.
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