Seven Technological Advances Expected in 2025: AI, Quantum Computing, and More

Seven advances in technology that we're likely to see in 2025

Keele University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK. In the grand scheme of things, 45 years is not a long time. Back in 1980, it would take me three weeks to run a computer program, written in the programming language Cobol, that worked using punched cards. Each card represented one line of code and it required multiple re-punches to correct errors. Eventually, I would have a working program that did something useful. How times have quickly changed in technology - now, my mobile phone has vast processing capability compared to the machine that processed that Cobol program. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, that same phone is able to instantly translate between languages on a live call, among many other features. With eye-catching announcements being made all the time, what can we expect in 2025 from the world of technology? Here are seven developments to look out for. 1. AI agents come into their own Unsurprisingly, we're likely to see further important developments in AI. One area that's likely to take off is the use of AI agents. These are intelligent programs that are given objectives by humans and work out the best ways to achieve those objectives. Agents can write computer code, which could have a big impact on the way that tech companies work and could allow people without advanced coding skills to develop programs, apps or games. You could also see car plants with no people, running with robots operated by AI agents. In theory, mortgage applications could be assessed and approved by agent technology. Individual apps on a smartphone could be replaced by an agent interface that performs multiple tasks for the user. A combination of agent technology with robotics could be revolutionary. We are reaching a point where robots don't just emulate the tasks of humans, but are reasoning and answering to us directly. One candidate for hosting AI agent technology is Optimus, a humanoid robot built by Tesla. Elon Musk has said that the electric car maker will start using Optimus for tasks within the company from 2025. He added that the automaton could be ready for sale to other businesses by 2026. Agents are tailor-made for industry tasks such as project management. The consulting firm Gartner suggests that by 2030, some 80% of project management tasks will be run by AI. 2. Customisation, with help from AI In education, the focus has traditionally been on linear programmes of study, with pre-determined entry and exit points lasting a number of years. Imagine a course of study that is uniquely tailored to individual students based on their experience, skills and abilities. Bespoke degree programmes centred around the student are already being explored in the US with AI. These are not just bespoke with regard to the content and curriculum, but also in recognising the special needs of the student or indeed how the learner may feel at any one time. This can include AI that adjusts the learning activity and study based on how much sleep you had last night, which is linked to smartwatch data. Education isn't the only area where AI could help with customisation. The management consultancy Accenture suggests that private companies will be able to train their own, custom large language models, the technology behind AI chatbots such as ChatGPT. These could be trained with data specific to particular business areas, making them more effective for those firms. But these companies would have to use billions of pieces of data. We'll see progress towards this objective in 2025. Small language models (SLMs) are being developed to perform precise tasks more efficiently. They don't need to be trained on as much data and require less computing power. This means they can be used more easily on so-called "edge devices" - smartphones, tablets and laptops - without relying on computing resources hosted in the cloud. 3. Towards practical quantum computers Developments in quantum computing could lead to machines that can solve complex tasks that are beyond the capability of most classical computers. Researchers have moved away from trying to break records for the number of basic processing units, called qubits, and towards correcting the errors that quantum computers are currently prone to. This is a step towards practical quantum computers that have some useful advantage over classical machines. 4. Blending physical and virtual worlds Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality could be used more widely. Virtual reality immerses users in a computer-generated world. Augmented reality superimposes computer-generated elements onto the real world, while the latter remains visible. Mixed reality, refers to a set of immersive technologies including augmented reality, that provide different "blends" of physical and virtual worlds. There are already a number of head-mounted devices (HMDs) that can support these technologies. These include Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest headset. In 2025, we're likely to see new products and refinements from the likes of Meta, Apple and others. 5. Benefits of blockchain Blockchain technology, which allows records to be stored across a network of computers, is set to affect supply chains and different sectors from healthcare to finance. Blockchain increases transparency and traceability, allowing for the tracking of products from origin to consumer, it also offers enhanced security and improved efficiency with automated processes. Patient data in healthcare could be made more secure with blockchain technology. The exchange of data could become seamless and medical supplies could be tracked. Financial transactions could be made more robust, faster and cheaper and there would be a greater degree of financial inclusion. This would provide access to a wider group who may not have had banking or lending services before. 6. The dawn of 6G communications We will enjoy faster connectivity, with the introduction of 6G wireless communication networks. The process of standardising 6G technology will begin in 2025. Clear 6G global standards and compatibility between networks is vital for the technology's success. 7. More advanced self-driving technology Self-driving vehicles are also set to see a number of advancements going forward. Self-driving cars are classified into six levels, according to their autonomy - from 0 (fully manual) to 5 (fully autonomous). Current self-driving taxis deployed in US cities such as San Francisco are at level 4 (high driving automation). They can handle most driving tasks without human input but with some restrictions. In 2025, we're likely to see progress towards level 5. This is classified as full autonomy, and describes vehicles that operate without any human intervention. Mercedes will increase the speed of its Drive Pilot self-driving system in 2025 and Tesla is developing its own Robotaxi, which should be available "before 2027", according to Elon Musk. We can expect technology to be able to achieve tasks that used to be the exclusive domain of humans. It will be able to complete work tasks and report back. This will lead to efficiencies and big changes to work. We'll also see technology that enhances our leisure time and quality of life.

7 technological advances we could see in 2025

Keele University's Lewis Endlar examines some of the biggest tech developments expected in the next 12 months, from blockchain to 6G. A version of this article was originally published by The Conversation (CC BY-ND 4.0) In the grand scheme of things, 45 years is not a long time. Back in 1980, it would take me three weeks to run a computer program, written in the programming language Cobol, that worked using punched cards. Each card represented one line of code, and it required multiple re-punches to correct errors. Eventually, I would have a working program that did something useful. How times have quickly changed in technology - now, my mobile phone has vast processing capability compared to the machine that processed that Cobol program. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, that same phone is able to instantly translate between languages on a live call, among many other features. With eye-catching announcements being made all the time, what can we expect in 2025 from the world of technology? Here are seven developments to look out for. AI agents come into their own Unsurprisingly, we're likely to see further important developments in AI. One area that's likely to take off is the use of AI agents. These are intelligent programs that are given objectives by humans and work out the best ways to achieve those objectives. Agents can write computer code, which could have a big impact on the way that tech companies work and could allow people without advanced coding skills to develop programs, apps or games. You could also see car plants with no people, running with robots operated by AI agents. In theory, mortgage applications could be assessed and approved by agent technology. Individual apps on a smartphone could be replaced by an agent interface that performs multiple tasks for the user. A combination of agent technology with robotics could be revolutionary. We are reaching a point where robots don't just emulate the tasks of humans but are reasoning and answering to us directly. One candidate for hosting AI agent technology is Optimus, a humanoid robot built by Tesla. Elon Musk has said that the electric car maker will start using Optimus for tasks within the company from 2025. He added that the automaton could be ready for sale to other businesses by 2026. Agents are tailor-made for industry tasks such as project management. The consulting firm Gartner suggests that by 2030, some 80pc of project management tasks will be run by AI. Customisation, with help from AI In education, the focus has traditionally been on linear programmes of study, with pre-determined entry and exit points lasting a number of years. Imagine a course of study that is uniquely tailored to individual students based on their experience, skills and abilities. Bespoke degree programmes centred around the student are already being explored in the US with AI. These are not just bespoke with regard to the content and curriculum, but also in recognising the special needs of the student or indeed how the learner may feel at any one time. This can include AI that adjusts the learning activity and study based on how much sleep you had last night, which is linked to smartwatch data. Education isn't the only area where AI could help with customisation. The management consultancy Accenture suggests that private companies will be able to train their own, custom large language models, the technology behind AI chatbots such as ChatGPT. These could be trained with data specific to particular business areas, making them more effective for those firms. But these companies would have to use billions of pieces of data. We'll see progress towards this objective in 2025. Small language models (SLMs) are being developed to perform precise tasks more efficiently. They don't need to be trained on as much data and require less computing power. This means they can be used more easily on so-called "edge devices" - smartphones, tablets and laptops - without relying on computing resources hosted in the cloud. Towards practical quantum computers Developments in quantum computing could lead to machines that can solve complex tasks that are beyond the capability of most classical computers. Researchers have moved away from trying to break records for the number of basic processing units, called qubits, and towards correcting the errors that quantum computers are currently prone to. This is a step towards practical quantum computers that have some useful advantage over classical machines. Blending physical and virtual worlds Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality could be used more widely. Virtual reality immerses users in a computer-generated world. Augmented reality superimposes computer-generated elements onto the real world, while the latter remains visible. Mixed reality refers to a set of immersive technologies including augmented reality, that provide different "blends" of physical and virtual worlds. There are already a number of head-mounted devices (HMDs) that can support these technologies. These include Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest headset. In 2025, we're likely to see new products and refinements from the likes of Meta, Apple and others. Benefits of blockchain Blockchain technology, which allows records to be stored across a network of computers, is set to affect supply chains and different sectors from healthcare to finance. Blockchain increases transparency and traceability, allowing for the tracking of products from origin to consumer. It also offers enhanced security and improved efficiency with automated processes. Patient data in healthcare could be made more secure with blockchain technology. The exchange of data could become seamless and medical supplies could be tracked. Financial transactions could be made more robust, faster and cheaper and there would be a greater degree of financial inclusion. This would provide access to a wider group who may not have had banking or lending services before. The dawn of 6G communications We will enjoy faster connectivity, with the introduction of 6G wireless communication networks. The process of standardising 6G technology will begin in 2025. Clear 6G global standards and compatibility between networks is vital for the technology's success. More advanced self-driving technology Self-driving vehicles are also set to see a number of advancements going forward. Self-driving cars are classified into six levels, according to their autonomy - from level 0 (fully manual) to level 5 (fully autonomous). Current self-driving taxis deployed in US cities such as San Francisco are at level 4 (high driving automation). They can handle most driving tasks without human input but with some restrictions. In 2025, we're likely to see progress towards level 5. This is classified as full autonomy and describes vehicles that operate without any human intervention. Mercedes will increase the speed of its Drive Pilot self-driving system in 2025 and Tesla is developing its own robotaxi, which should be available "before 2027", according to Elon Musk. We can expect technology to be able to achieve tasks that used to be the exclusive domain of humans. It will be able to complete work tasks and report back. This will lead to efficiencies and big changes to work. We'll also see technology that enhances our leisure time and quality of life. By Lewis Endlar Lewis Endar is a lecturer in business and programme director of the MSc in project management at the Keele Business School in Keele University. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Seven advances in technology that we're likely to see in 2025

In the grand scheme of things, 45 years is not a long time. Back in 1980, it would take me three weeks to run a computer program, written in the programming language Cobol, that worked using punched cards. Each card represented one line of code and it required multiple re-punches to correct errors. Eventually, I would have a working program that did something useful. How times have quickly changed in technology -- now, my mobile phone has vast processing capability compared to the machine that processed that Cobol program. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, that same phone is able to instantly translate between languages on a live call, among many other features. With eye-catching announcements being made all the time, what can we expect in 2025 from the world of technology? Here are seven developments to look out for. 1. AI agents come into their own Unsurprisingly, we're likely to see further important developments in AI. One area that's likely to take off is the use of AI agents. These are intelligent programs that are given objectives by humans and work out the best ways to achieve those objectives. Agents can write computer code, which could have a big impact on the way that tech companies work and could allow people without advanced coding skills to develop programs, apps or games. You could also see car plants with no people, running with robots operated by AI agents. In theory, mortgage applications could be assessed and approved by agent technology. Individual apps on a smartphone could be replaced by an agent interface that performs multiple tasks for the user. A combination of agent technology with robotics could be revolutionary. We are reaching a point where robots don't just emulate the tasks of humans, but are reasoning and answering to us directly. One candidate for hosting AI agent technology is Optimus, a humanoid robot built by Tesla. Elon Musk has said that the electric car maker will start using Optimus for tasks within the company from 2025. He added that the automaton could be ready for sale to other businesses by 2026. In education, the focus has traditionally been on linear programs of study, with pre-determined entry and exit points lasting a number of years. Imagine a course of study that is uniquely tailored to individual students based on their experience, skills and abilities. Bespoke degree programs centered around the student are already being explored in the US with AI. These are not just bespoke with regard to the content and curriculum, but also in recognizing the special needs of the student or indeed how the learner may feel at any one time. This can include AI that adjusts the learning activity and study based on how much sleep you had last night, which is linked to smartwatch data. Education isn't the only area where AI could help with customization. The management consultancy Accenture suggests that private companies will be able to train their own, custom large language models, the technology behind AI chatbots such as ChatGPT. These could be trained with data specific to particular business areas, making them more effective for those firms. But these companies would have to use billions of pieces of data. We'll see progress towards this objective in 2025. Small language models (SLMs) are being developed to perform precise tasks more efficiently. They don't need to be trained on as much data and require less computing power. This means they can be used more easily on so-called "edge devices" -- smartphones, tablets and laptops -- without relying on computing resources hosted in the cloud. 3. Toward practical quantum computers Developments in quantum computing could lead to machines that can solve complex tasks that are beyond the capability of most classical computers. Researchers have moved away from trying to break records for the number of basic processing units, called qubits, and towards correcting the errors that quantum computers are currently prone to. This is a step towards practical quantum computers that have some useful advantage over classical machines. 4. Blending physical and virtual worlds Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality could be used more widely. Virtual reality immerses users in a computer-generated world. Augmented reality superimposes computer-generated elements onto the real world, while the latter remains visible. Mixed reality, refers to a set of immersive technologies, including augmented reality, that provide different "blends" of physical and virtual worlds. There are already a number of head-mounted devices (HMDs) that can support these technologies. These include Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest headset. In 2025, we're likely to see new products and refinements from the likes of Meta, Apple and others. 5. Benefits of blockchain Blockchain technology, which allows records to be stored across a network of computers, is set to affect supply chains and different sectors from health care to finance. Blockchain increases transparency and traceability, allowing for the tracking of products from origin to consumer, it also offers enhanced security and improved efficiency with automated processes. Patient data in health care could be made more secure with blockchain technology. The exchange of data could become seamless and medical supplies could be tracked. Financial transactions could be made more robust, faster and cheaper and there would be a greater degree of financial inclusion. This would provide access to a wider group who may not have had banking or lending services before. 6. The dawn of 6G communications We will enjoy faster connectivity with the introduction of 6G wireless communication networks. The process of standardizing 6G technology will begin in 2025. Clear 6G global standards and compatibility between networks is vital for the technology's success. 7. More advanced self-driving technology Self-driving vehicles are also set to see a number of advancements going forward. Self-driving cars are classified into six levels, according to their autonomy -- from 0 (fully manual) to 5 (fully autonomous). Current self-driving taxis deployed in US cities such as San Francisco are at level 4 (high driving automation). They can handle most driving tasks without human input but with some restrictions. In 2025, we're likely to see progress towards level 5. This is classified as full autonomy, and describes vehicles that operate without any human intervention. Mercedes will increase the speed of its Drive Pilot self-driving system in 2025 and Tesla is developing its own Robotaxi, which should be available "before 2027," according to Elon Musk. We can expect technology to be able to achieve tasks that used to be the exclusive domain of humans. It will be able to complete work tasks and report back. This will lead to efficiencies and big changes to work. We'll also see technology that enhances our leisure time and quality of life.

What to expect from tech and social media in 2025

Euronews Next spoke to experts to find out what we can expect from tech, crypto, and social media in 2025. The buzziest acronym in technology last year was artificial intelligence, but will AI keep the pace in 2025? And which other tech will be important this year - will cryptocurrency continue its high and how could social media change? Euronews Next takes a look at what we can expect from tech trends as we kick off the new year. Artificial intelligence was used to make a number of discoveries in 2024, such as being able to decipher 2,000-year-old scrolls that would otherwise crumble if touched by humans. AI also continued to hold promise for making our future lives easier with so-called AI agents. While numerous companies have rolled out AI agents, they are not as capable as they could be one day but we can expect to see more of them this year. "Enterprises are set to have a slew of AI agents, which are semiautonomous, trained models that work across internal networks to help with customer service, human resources, data security and more," said Kari Briski, vice president of generative AI software at Nvidia. "Knowledge workers will be more productive because they can tap into a personalised team of AI-powered experts. Developers will be able to build these advanced agents using customisable AI blueprints," she added. Powering this technology will also require AI factories and data centres, and we can expect many more of them in 2025, said Nvidia's vice president of DGX platforms Charlie Boyle. Making the power-hungry technology more sustainable will also be key this year. "As AI workloads continue to drive growth, pioneering organisations will transition to liquid cooling to maximise performance and energy efficiency," said Boyle. "Hyperscale cloud providers and large enterprises will lead the way, using liquid cooling in new AI data centres that house hundreds of thousands of AI accelerators, networking and software," he added. Green AI tech could also be Europe's strong suit in 2025, said the CEO of EIT Digital, a European education and innovation organisation. "I think the big important development for Europe next year will be the continued growth of AI in the sustainability domain in green clean tech," Federico Menna told Euronews Next. "We see that more and more of these topics [climate] are attracting investments and talents, and Europe has a competitive advantage because historically, we have worked on these not for business purposes, but because of European values," he added. The increasing urgency of addressing climate change will probably generate "a surge in cleantech start-ups," he said. Menna also said that he believes we will see the rise of Eastern European countries for their tech this year. He said Romania is "really leading the way" in tech and it is "Google mania" there, especially in cyber security. Poland and Hungry are also investing heavily in cyber security. The war in Ukraine has also made defence tech more crucial, which also includes cyber security. Menna said Estonia and Latvia are leading Europe's defence tech scene, which will continue to be big in 2025 and see dual-use technologies, those for military and civilian use, expand. Quantum technology continued to develop in 2024, with Google announcing their Willow chip, which performed a computation in less than five minutes that would have taken the fastest supercomputer 10 septillion years to achieve. While Google's feat was not exactly a watershed moment for quantum, as other quantum companies are doing similar things, we can expect 2025 to see the rise of quantum cryptography. The quantum threat is when a quantum computer so powerful is built, it could break the public encryption systems that protect our online conversations, bank accounts, and most vital infrastructure, wreaking havoc on governments and businesses. Therefore, quantum cryptography, sometimes called post-quantum cryptography, is looked to as the answer to prevent this digital doomsday. "I think quantum cryptography will really start emerging because now quantum was always on the verge of becoming the next wave," said Menna. "We see more and more that quantum is becoming more relevant and in the end is linked to defence in a way... So quantum cryptography would probably be very important for governments," he added. Social media saw big changes in 2024 with Elon Musk's social media platform X becoming his mouthpiece in this year's US election, TikTok's continued dominance, and the growth of alternative platform Bluesky. "Big social media platforms are in competition with emerging social media platforms. I think TikTok made a huge mark in 2023 to 2024 and sort of emerged as a big, big, big player in the social media ecosystem," said Nighat Dad, a Pakistan-based Internet activist who runs the not-for-profit organisation Digital Rights Foundation. She told Euronews Next that users will lean more towards privacy-friendly platforms due to authoritarian and semi-autocratic governments clamping down on social media companies with "problematic laws". "It will force users to move on to platforms which are more independent, open source, not owned by a Silicon Valley CEO, and are more user friendly, and have better content moderation policies". Dad thinks 2025 will see regulations around the world play a huge role in terms of social media platforms and compliance around content moderation. However, she said the US would probably go the opposite way from Europe, which is trying to hold social media companies accountable through regulation because of the close relationship between Musk and US President-elect Donald Trump. "I feel like no one can predict anything about Trump and Musk. But definitely, the space will be the complete opposite of what the EU is trying to do," she said. She also believes that revenue for social media will come through advertising, and it is advertisers "who will set the rules". Dad said advertisers are the stakeholders who have been "behind the scenes so far, but they will come out as big stakeholders in 2025". 2024 was also tipped to be the year of AI in global elections, with fears of deepfakes and misinformation flooding the Internet. While experts say this did not happen as anticipated in the US election, Dad said it is happening in the rest of the world. "I think AI on social media will be a mess because it's already going unnoticed in the global majority," Dad said. "I feel that if social media platforms really didn't look into the space around AI-generated content, it will be out of control in 2025 in terms of moderating that kind of content," she added. In July 2024, Musk said that Tesla would produce "genuinely useful" humanoid robots to start working in its factories in 2025. But it is unlikely to be a year in which we see widespread access to at-home robots that do the household tasks we do not want to do. "In 2025, we will see the first prototypes of robots that can navigate outside structured industrial environments and act relatively independently and proactively. They will assist with tidying up, cleaning, organising items, locating them when needed, and perhaps even loading the dishwasher," David Reger, CEO of German robotics firm Neura Robotics, told Euronews Next. But he said because the development of AI and hardware in this area is moving very fast, and many of the biggest advances are currently taking place in secret, it is not possible to make a serious prediction as to whether people will be able to buy a home robot in an electronics store or online this year. "Regulatory and legal requirements will also play a key role. However, we will certainly see the first pilot projects in the commercial sector, or in public institutions, care homes or hospitals, where robots take over household tasks," he added. With Musk being close to Trump, robotics could be a key market, said Reger. Due to not having cheap skilled labour, the US "will not be able to thrive on online commerce, computers, search engines and metaverses," he said. "The need for rapid economic success in the USA could therefore result in a unique momentum for robotics, especially because robotics is the biggest market of the future, and Trump knows that," he added. This would in turn have positive impulses for the world, for Europe and corresponding partnerships and trade relations would then be enormous, Reger said. Cryptocurrencies saw 2024 end at record levels with Bitcoin's price reaching historic highs. Whether that will continue is unclear in 2025 but the year could see a better understanding and more of an acceptance of crypto and blockchain technology by the general population, Pascal Gauthier, CEO of crypto wallet company Ledger, told Euronews Next. As for crypto companies, "people will worry less about cycles and if it is a bull or bear run as the market will be big enough for companies to thrive," he said.