This past year has seen a whirlwind of technological advancements, and more are on their way in 2025. There have been significant strides in various fields from quantum computing to AI-driven cybersecurity, each promising to reshape industries. As we look ahead, the pace of innovation is clearly accelerating.
In 2025, quantum computing will move from theoretical to practical applications, having great impact on sectors like supply chain management and research & development. Early adopters such as large academic institutions and tech giants will lead the way for broader access through Quantum Computing-as-a-Service (QaaS), making this technology available to businesses of all sizes.
Cybersecurity will also see a transformation as companies use AI to prevent attacks offering a significant competitive edge. As AI becomes an essential tool in cybersecurity, companies that quickly adopt and publicise their efforts will gain trust and protection, while those that delay may find themselves more vulnerable.
The future of technology is here, and to prepare for the road ahead, read BDO’s predictions for the tech industry in 2025 — and the key factor that could make all the difference.
Major breakthroughs are on the horizon for quantum computing, bringing it to the verge of practical or even daily use.
Its most immediate applications will likely be in areas like R&D or supply chain – accelerating research or enabling companies to respond quickly and dynamically to logistical challenges.
However, early adopters will face challenges. Quantum computing is difficult to scale and can be highly expensive due to extreme cooling requirements, and this also requires plenty of energy. Organisations will also have to overcome knowledge gaps, as employees will likely not be familiar with the technology.
Expect early adopters to be those with the resources and appetite to take it on: the military, large academic institutions, and large tech companies.
Large tech companies will shift to offering Quantum Computing-as-a-Service (QaaS), enabling companies of all sizes to take advantage of quantum computing capabilities.
Cyber threat actors aren’t the only ones using AI — in 2025, companies will increasingly use AI to enhance their cybersecurity protections.
AI can enable predictive defence, allowing cybersecurity teams and systems to comb through vast amounts of data — including historical data and attack patterns — to identify threats before they happen.
Even when a business responds effectively to a data breach, they can still experience major damage to their stock prices, operations, and trustworthiness. Gaining the ability to identify and stop attacks before they happen will be a major competitive differentiator.
Organisations that move quickly to integrate predictive defence capabilities — publicising their efforts to do so — will benefit from better protection and greater trust than their slower-moving peers. Companies that delay could become more attractive targets as other companies harden their defences.
Over the next several years, AI will become a must-have tool in any company’s cybersecurity toolkit. Threat actors will continue using AI, so companies of all sizes must use it as well. Find out more information on our Cyber Security Services hub.
YouTube is currently the most-watched streaming platform by far. Its content is democratised and niche, and users can pay to access a huge library of content with no ads and highly specific recommendations based on user interests and activity.
As streaming platforms and applications increasingly seek to learn and adapt to user preferences, 2025 will see companies try to emulate this hyper-personalised model.
Some existing platforms are already leaning into this shift to some degree, with Amazon Prime and Hulu offering different “channels” within their apps.
This shift will accelerate and proliferate as customers gravitate toward platforms that can host and direct users to content that perfectly matches their preferences.
The future of streaming platforms is ultimately less channel-based and more social-media based, with users choosing from a wide range of content types and accessing forums and chats to share their thoughts on what they’re watching.
This, in turn, will provide a more personalised route to the end consumer for advertisers looking to navigate the ever more complex landscape, leading to success for agencies and data analytical businesses that understand this space.
Alternative means of internet connectivity will increase the pressure on traditional broadband companies in 2025. Alternate connectivity methods like Fixed Wireless Access have become so popular because 5G is able to replace home broadband connections without sacrificing speed and reliability. Without the need to lay cables or build other infrastructure, prices are lower.
The UK 5G services market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 52.4% from 2024 to 2030.
The pressure on large broadband companies will ramp up in 2025 as this shift accelerates, compelling the industry to innovate or join in.
Healthcare companies already offer a range of telehealth services but expect to see these offerings expand to go beyond patient-doctor interactions to include smart, wearable devices that give real-time medical information.
Care providers will be able to get the best possible picture of a patients’ status by remotely tracking at-home medical equipment, from IVs and oxygen machines to glucose monitors and heart rate monitors.
Supported by advancements like enhanced 5G connectivity, these technologies will allow more patients — especially those who are elderly or are critically ill — to receive care from home. Providers will also be able to expand their services to geographic areas that may have been previously beyond their reach, as patients could require fewer in-office visits.
Technologies like computer vision could even be used to monitor emergencies in cases where patients may be unable to call for help themselves, such as when a patient suffers a fall while alone at home.
That said, healthcare providers will need to be mindful of what data they are collecting, and how. They will need to devote more resources to data security in order to keep private medical information safe and maintain compliance with relevant regulations.
Streaming platforms like Twitch garner millions of viewers every single day, and video games have become a fully mainstream form of entertainment. The games industry’s yearly revenues are more than double that of the film and music industries combined.
Esports events can draw in millions of eyes. Potentially fuelled by the continued rise of algorithmically driven streaming platforms (Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, etc.), and as viewership demographics get older and make up a larger share of viewing audiences, expect Esports to begin taking its place among mainstream sports news.
This could mean more recognisable esports commentators, more widely viewed events — perhaps even hosted or broadcast by major networks or platforms — and increasingly valuable/expensive ad spots.
The era of innovation for innovation’s sake is ending. Expect industries to start zeroing in on AI applications that are more targeted and bring real value and measurable benefits to businesses.
The past several years have seen companies exploring AI to understand its capabilities, limitations, risks, and use cases. Now that companies have a more complete understanding of what AI can bring to the table for them, the “unknown” factor is going away.
Companies will have better articulated use cases for AI, based around the tangible benefits of saving time and money. For example, telecommunications companies are seeing multiple percentage point improvements to their margins from AI and will continue applying AI to save costs.
Healthcare providers will use it to improve care delivery and patient outcomes, while retailers will use AI to deliver tailored recommendations to customers, and to support other emerging technologies like digital mannequins.
But more AI use also means more regulation. As companies gain a better understanding of how to use AI, governments and regulators will also gain a better understanding of when and how to regulate it. Companies employing AI will need to stay up to date on all applicable regulations, as the landscape will change quickly over the next year.
The EU AI Act and other regulations will play a significant role in shaping the future of AI. For more information, you can read our article on the EU AI Act and its implications.
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