Science fiction to everyday reality: Cinema has repeatedly anticipated the innovations we use every day. From artificial intelligence to foldable smartphones via biometric authentication and developments in medicine, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the advent of new technologies that, until recently, seemed to belong to the realm of science fiction. In two years, artificial intelligence has revolutionised entire manufacturing sectors and, once globally available, promises to do the same with the most everyday activities of end users, from content on social to assistants on cell phones.
From science fiction to everyday reality
In 2025, can we expect an acceleration in the adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), and the Internet of Things (IoT)? Yes. For example, AI will be increasingly pervasive and integrated into a growing number of devices and services, from our smartphones to home appliances, offering personalized experiences and automating everyday tasks. Then, virtual and augmented reality technologies are no longer relegated to gaming alone; they can find applications in education, healthcare, and commerce. The IoT will connect more and more objects, creating smart homes and more efficient and sustainable cities.
How technology will change the way people work in 2025
Hybrid and remote work will continue to grow, supported by advanced technologies for remote collaboration and communication. AI will automate repetitive tasks, allowing workers to focus on more creative and strategic activities. Today, we can autonomously translate real-time conversations, synthesize long documents from our cell phones, and ask a chatbot how to begin a text document or email. The more people use such tools, the more interest there will be from other companies to invest in the field.
What will be the major innovations in the field of entertainment?
The metaverse, which Mark Zuckerberg had turned the spotlight on in late 2022, may be making a comeback. Two years later, the ecosystem has never exploded, despite Apple’s entry into the field with its visors. It is precisely artificial intelligence that could simplify the establishment of the metatarsal, understood as a digital place to transfer what we now do from a computer. The advantage? Living more authentic and fulfilling three-dimensional experiences. Something that will not be easy to achieve with a visor on the eyes but only through lighter devices such as a pair of glasses. A good example is Snapchat’s Spectacles, which is designed to project content in front of the user’s gaze and superimpose it on real-world content. Meta, Google, and Samsung are moving along the same lines, with possible new developments within the next few months.
Climate is a hot topic; there are interactions with innovations
Technology designed to reduce or reverse, to some extent, human damage to the environment and reduce carbon emissions will be critical in 2025. In recent years, we have seen significant advances ranging from the growing adoption of electric cars to carbon capture and storage advances. The application of energy-efficient computing, which minimises energy consumption and carbon footprint, is set to become a growing trend. New computing technologies such as GPUs, neuromorphic processing and quantum computing will improve energy efficiency in the next decade. With this technology, it will be possible to cut data centre costs and energy consumption, develop sustainable products, or use smart energy management systems to minimise consumption. AI itself requires a vast amount of energy, which, if not carefully governed, could lead us to collapse. Behind the scenes of innovation, therefore, it is necessary to look at those companies working to make data centres and infrastructure available.
More news regarding the virtual
The convergence of the real and digital worlds has been a phenomenon we have been witnessing for a few years now, but immersive, realistic and intuitive experiences will continue to evolve and gain prominence. Thanks to advances in augmented reality, mixed reality, and artificial intelligence, immersive digital environments are being created in various sectors, such as gaming, healthcare, and e-commerce. The spread of 5G, improved and more affordable devices such as Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3, or investments by large companies such as Nvidia and Qualcomm also stimulate demand and open opportunities for new business models. Their main use cases range from immersive collaboration for more effective and interactive remote meetings to training with realistic simulations that improve skill acquisition and retention to virtual assistants that revolutionize the shopping experience and increase engagement and sales.
What are the ethical and social challenges associated with these new technologies?
The rise of AI raises concerns about privacy, data security, and the potential impact on the labour market. Open debate and responsible regulation are essential to ensure that these technologies are used for the benefit of humanity, with an eye on cybersecurity. Cyber threats will continue to be a major concern for businesses in 2025, but their scale will also affect society, national security, and public safety.
In recent months, we have seen increased attacks against critical infrastructure such as energy networks, healthcare and election systems. This is why it is so important that 2025 marks a historic milestone for investments in cybersecurity and for collaboration between states and companies to share intelligence and develop collaborative defence strategies. The latest developments in AI will be crucial for detecting and preventing attacks. However, we must also focus on its use by cybercriminals who intend to turn the technology into a tool for fraudulent purposes. Thus, cybersecurity will cease to be just a problem for companies to solve and will become an essential element of security at the national and global levels.
