Top 6 Tech Trends You Should Keep an Eye On in 2025

While 2024 was a year of transformation from AI to humanoid robots, 2025 promises to consolidate these tech trends while bringing new innovations from expensive prototypes closer to our everyday lives. In this article, we’ll dive into the cutting-edge tech trends set to redefine the future.

We will explore the hottest tech trends and how they are shaping  our future. From how we communicate to how we navigate the world, opening doors to new possibilities and opportunities.

1. AI comes of age
2. Shrinking gap between AR and VR
3. Health tech with AI insights
4. Bold promises in autonomous robotics
5. Sustainable technologies are not going away
6. Growing importance of cybersecurity

#1 AI comes of age

Generative AI

Once a meme-worthy novelty in late 2022, generative AI has transformed into an essential tool for content creation, software development, fitness planning, entertainment, and more. By 2024, core features like text, image, and code generation became more reliable and widely accessible. ChatGPT 4o, launched in May, introduced groundbreaking multimodal capabilities and natural voice conversations. However, newer features in this emerging tech trend like AI-driven music and video generation still need refinement before they become mainstream.

Apple's late entry into AI brought a game-changer: on-device AI computing, or Edge AI. As AI integrates deeply with IoT devices, privacy, energy efficiency, and speed have become critical. Running specialized AI models directly on devices, like phones or cars, offers a leap forward. For example, creating a video collage from family photos or generating a monthly expense report without sending sensitive data to remote servers ensures both convenience and privacy.

Applied AI

Applied AI extends beyond personal use to tackle specific, practical challenges across industries. It optimizes processes, improves decision-making, and enhances user experiences. Examples include a bank’s fraud detection algorithm or an agricultural prediction model—both showcasing the transformative potential of AI.

Ranked as a top tech trend for 2025, applied AI consistently earns high innovation and investment ratings in McKinsey’s tech outlook. Since 2019, it has shown immense promise for accelerating enterprise growth across diverse sectors.

Regulation

As AI advances rapidly, governments worldwide are striving to balance innovation with safety. In 2024, the European Union adopted the EU AI Act, categorizing AI by risk levels with stricter regulations for higher risks. In October, President Joe Biden signed a memorandum to support AI development while addressing national security concerns. Meanwhile, China announced plans for 50 new AI standards by 2026, aiming for global leadership in AI by 2030.

What do we expect in AI for 2025?

• Generative AI: Reliable tools for text, image, and code generation will dominate, while advancements in video, music, graphics and more are expected to reach mainstream maturity.
• Edge AI: On-device AI computing will enhance privacy, speed, and energy efficiency, becoming a cornerstone for IoT integration.
• Applied AI: Industry-specific AI applications will drive efficiency and innovation, maintaining their position as a top investment priority.
• Regulation: Governments will continue refining AI oversight, with global standards and frameworks evolving to address innovation and safety.

#2 Shrinking gap between AR and VR

‍Mixed Reality

Apple's mixed reality headset, Vision Pro, launched in early 2024 with a hefty $3,500 price tag, generating immense initial interest that fizzled within a month. Despite manufacturing 600,000 units, Apple scaled back production due to lower demand, estimated to have sold around 400.000 units in 2024. CEO Tim Cook considers it a success, highlighting it as an early-adopter product. Behind the scenes, Apple is already developing a more affordable, AI-enhanced version, expected to release in 2025—positioning itself firmly in the race for the top tech trends of the future.

Competitors like HTC and Meta continue to market headsets primarily as VR entertainment tools, with releases like the HTC Vive and Meta Quest 3S. However, the true potential of this emerging tech trend may lie in industrial applications. Imagine car designers collaborating in shared virtual spaces to test user interfaces or refine new models without costly clay prototypes, or soldiers using XR headsets for highly immersive training simulations. Interior designers can provide virtual walkthroughs of spaces to clients, streamlining decisions.

While VR hasn’t yet fully merged with the real world, advancements in spatial computing point to the future of tech trends. Expect smaller, lighter headsets, higher resolutions, and more immersive experiences as companies refine use cases for mixed reality in current and future tech trends.

AR Smart Glasses

AR smart glasses are among the most exciting emerging tech trends, sparking significant innovation in 2024. Meta’s Orion prototype, the fifth generation of Snapchat Spectacles, and Baidu’s AI-powered glasses marked a new era for see-through AR technology. This form factor opens thrilling possibilities but also brings challenges, such as reducing weight and enabling seamless interaction with the digital interface.

Meta tackled these challenges with a clever approach: offloading the processing power to a separate wireless device that stays within Bluetooth range. This made the glasses impressively lightweight. As for controls, Meta introduced a wristband that measures changes in electrical currents through your muscles when you pinch or point, translating these gestures into mapped actions. This innovation highlights how AR smart glasses are shaping the future of tech trends while addressing both functionality and user experience.

What do we expect in immersive reality for 2025?

• Apple is rumored to release a more affordable, AI-powered version of Vision Pro in 2025, targeting broader adoption.
• Mixed reality and AR devices will see improved designs with lighter headsets, higher resolutions, and better spatial computing.
• Gesture-based controls, like Meta’s wristband technology, will set new standards for seamless interaction.
• Industrial applications, such as collaborative design presentation and training, are expected to grow steadily alongside entertainment use.
• 2025 will likely bring more practical and immersive mixed reality and AR innovations, blending physical and digital experiences.

#3 Health tech with AI insights

Wearable health tech

In 2024, wearable health tech became a staple, with smartwatches offering reliable insights into heart rate, movement, and sleep—though sometimes distracting with notifications. Smart scales and connected blood pressure monitors are also common, broadening access to health data. A notable trend is the growing use of smart continuous glucose monitors by health-conscious individuals, beyond the diabetic community, to track how lifestyle and food impacts blood sugar levels.

Despite the abundance of data, turning it into actionable insights remains a challenge. Companies like Whoop are pioneering AI-driven tools to help users interpret and act on their data. By 2025, this emerging tech trend is expected to bring smarter, more intuitive ways to make sense of the growing pool of personal health data.

Mental Health

One of the most noteworthy shifts in recent years has been the increasing focus on stress management and mental health. This emerging tech trend is manifesting itself in a multitude of ways. Apple introduced new mental health features that allow users to log their momentary emotions and daily moods. Google launched a clinically validated mental health self-assessment tool in the United States. Breathing exercise apps have introduced the practice of breathwork into our daily lives. They revolutionize how we manage stress and enhance our overall well-being. 

‍AI-Assisted Therapy

The landscape of mental health and therapy witnessed a seismic transformation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world was forced to adapt to social distancing and remote living. Traditional therapeutic practices swiftly migrated to the digital realm. Combine it with AI, and we get an AI-powered mental health chatbot that provides cognitive behavioral therapy. It's therapy by algorithm! Exposure therapy is also making its comeback with the help of AI and VR devices. If you want to read more about these applications, check out our collection of the top healthcare apps!

Dumb Phones are Making a Comeback

In response to the challenges of the addictive nature of social media and the concerns about mental health, a growing number of teens are making a conscious choice to step away from the allure of smartphones and turn to "dumb phones." There is also an app that turns your smartphone into a dumb phone! Of course, you could just set a time limit for apps. Yet, there is a counter-movement in our tech-savvy world. A significant segment of the younger generation seeks a simpler, less stimulating connection with their devices to find relief from the digital chaos.

What lies in the future? Is 2025 the year of dopamine detox? Or is it a personalized breathing coach that improves sleep, recovery, and resilience to stress? We are not sure yet, but talking about personalized breathing coaches, our talented designers got a Red Dot Design Award for it!

What do we expect in health tech for 2025?

• Wearables: AI tools will make health data from devices like smartwatches and glucose monitors easier to understand and act on.
• Mental health: Mood tracking, stress tools, and AI-driven solutions will grow more personalized and accessible.
• AI Therapy: Chatbots and VR therapies will expand mental health care options.
• Digital minimalism: Simpler tech like "dumb phones" and personalized breathing tools will counter digital overload.

#4 Bold promises in autonomous robotics

Humanoid robots

The robotics industry is advancing rapidly, with Hyundai (Boston Dynamics), and new players like Figure driving innovation. Figure, a newcomer since 2023, is already testing its second-generation autonomous robot in a factory environment, aiming for fully independent operation powered by narrow AI—a major highlight among current tech trends in robotics.

Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics premiered a new version of its Atlas robot in 2024, featuring agentic AI for dynamic, self-correcting responses to complex situations. This marks a leap in new tech trends, pushing robots closer to handling unpredictable environments effectively. And that’s a critical feature: whether deployed in factories, on streets, or in homes as support bots, humanoid robots must navigate unpredictable environments with the same adaptive precision that humans demonstrate every moment.

Tesla’s Optimus 2 humanoid robot debuted with high expectations but sparked debate over its readiness, as demonstrations revealed teleoperated rather than fully autonomous functions. Known for ambitious goals, Tesla combines groundbreaking innovations, like SpaceX rockets, with delayed timelines, as seen with the Cybertruck. By training robots on extensive human movement data, Tesla targets fluid, precise performance for repetitive industrial tasks, aligning with emerging tech trends in industrial automation.

‍Autonomous (self-driving) cars

Adding to its robotics ventures, Tesla unveiled its first, fully autonomous vehicle. The highly anticipated Cybercab debuted, coinciding with Waymo’s expansion of its driverless ride services in San Francisco and Los Angeles. These developments highlight the growing competition in the autonomous transport sector, with companies racing to redefine urban mobility. A key difference is that Tesla relies on edge AI and cost-effective cameras for its autonomous vehicles, while Waymo prioritizes a more intricate Lidar-based system and detailed maps for enhanced precision and reliability.

Self-driving cars are classified from Level 2 (partial automation) to Level 5 (full automation without human intervention) by the standards organization SAE. Currently, the most advanced systems are Waymo’s driverless taxis, operating at Level 4. These vehicles can autonomously navigate within geofenced areas, handling tasks like obstacle avoidance, traffic decisions, and route planning without a human driver. Tesla’s Autopilot, however, remains at Level 2, requiring constant driver supervision and intervention. While Tesla aims to achieve Level 3 autonomy, this step—along with potential Level 4 Cybercabs—may materialize by 2025, signaling a major leap in autonomous driving capabilities.

What do we expect in robotics for 2025?

• Advancements in autonomous robots are expected to drive innovation in industrial automation and urban mobility.
• Enhanced AI capabilities will improve robots' ability to navigate complex environments and perform precise tasks.
• Autonomous vehicles will see increased competition between edge AI and lidar-based systems, shaping transport tech trends.
• By 2025, robotics is poised to redefine efficiency and adaptability across industries, from manufacturing to transportation.

#5 Sustainable Technologies Are Not Going Away

In the past few decades, we've witnessed global warming, rising sea levels, and accelerating ice loss in Greenland. Many believe that these problems can result in worldwide societal collapse or even human extinction if we don't act now. That is why sustainable technologies remain tech trends in 2025.

Hydrogen Fuel

Electrification has been the center of discussion about sustainable energy for years. However, the development of hydrogen fuel is slowly catching up. Hydrogen fuel is a clean energy source created by splitting hydrogen from other elements, often through electrolysis of water or natural gas reforming. When used in fuel cells, it combines hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, with water and heat as byproducts. As a renewable and zero-emission energy carrier, hydrogen is gaining attention for its potential to power vehicles, industries, and even entire grids sustainably.

The advantage of hydrogen fuel is that it can be produced from different sources like natural gas and biomass. At the same time, it does not create any greenhouse gas. No wonder many energy companies, like BP, Sinopec, Air Products, and AES, are increasing their investments in hydrogen production.

Decentralized Energy Systems

As we all know, energy plants owned by large companies generate most of the energy we use today. The problem is that no matter how reliable and consistent the centralized energy systems are, they remain highly vulnerable to disruption from natural disasters. And that is where the idea of decentralized energy systems arises. Decentralized energy systems refer to energy generation and distribution setups where power is produced closer to the point of consumption rather than relying on centralized power plants and long transmission networks on the grid. It’s believed that decentralized energy systems offer several advantages over centralized energy systems, such as being more resource efficient, environmentally friendly, and more resilient and flexible to natural disasters.

‍Better Demand and Supply Management in Food Production

It’s ironic that some countries face food shortages while others are overproducing it simultaneously. In the case of overproduction of food, we’re wasting natural resources when we produce more food than we need. Alternatively, there will be a hunger crisis if we don't produce enough food.

In the agriculture industry, people have long been focusing on increasing food production efficiency. But this approach only solves part of the problem. When the overproduced food goes to the landfills, it will produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is even more potent than carbon dioxide.

To tackle the imbalance between food demand and supply, some companies introduced the concept of farm-to-home. Enhancing this approach, others integrated AI technology to predict and optimize demand-supply dynamics. By leveraging technology, stakeholders—consumers, farmers, and the planet—can collaborate more effectively to address climate challenges.

The result is that consumers can eat more sustainably. They have a deeper understanding of how our food can impact climate. Farmers can minimize the chance of wasting resources by growing food based on consumers' demand.

What do we expect in sustainable technologies for 2025?

• Hydrogen fuel: Gaining traction as a clean, zero-emission energy source with increasing investments from major energy companies.
• Decentralized energy systems: Localized energy generation offers greater resilience, efficiency, and environmental benefits compared to centralized grids.
• AI for food production: Optimizes demand-supply balance, reduces resource waste, and empowers sustainable consumer and farming practices.

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#6 Growing Importance of Cybersecurity 

Security Concerns are Not Going Anywhere

The total number of data breaches has already outpaced the previous year's numbers. In 2023, data breaches continued to be a prevailing concern, with a series of high-profile incidents shedding light on the persistent vulnerabilities in our increasingly digital world. 

At the beginning of 2023, Reddit was threatened with leaking 80GB of confidential data that had been stolen from its server. In October, Spanish airline carrier Air Europa told their customers to cancel their credit cards after hackers managed to access their financial information during a breach. 

We will not list all the data breaches happening, but take a quick look here if you are interested! Some of these vulnerabilities could expose users' location and online identity. Others allowed hackers to gain complete control over the victim's device without leaving any traces behind.

Building a Secure-Aware Culture

It’s often said that humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity. That’s why, no matter how updates can help patch any vulnerabilities found in software or hardware, the easiest and the first step in protecting ourselves in cybersecurity should always start from us: the users.

Social engineering refers to psychological manipulations exploiting human nature to trick users into performing specific actions. Unsurprisingly, one of the social engineering techniques nowadays is phishing. The idea is to send fraudulent messages to the targets so the attackers can trick them into revealing sensitive information.

People are more likely to fall victim to phishing than you think. Statistics tell us that phishing attacks account for a shocking 90% of company security breaches. Imagine that you are working from home and you receive a message from your boss saying that he has an urgent task for you to complete. How confident are you that you will not open the link included in the message?

What do we expect in cybersecurity for 2025?

• Persistent security concerns: High-profile data breaches, like those at Reddit and Air Europa, highlight vulnerabilities exposing user data and compromising devices.
• Secure-aware culture: Phishing remains a top threat, with 90% of breaches caused by social engineering, emphasizing the need for user education alongside technological safeguards.

Final Thoughts

As we say goodbye to 2024 and step into a new year, we find ourselves at the intersection of the present and the future. The year gone by witnessed a whirlwind of innovation. In this article, we've navigated through the latest tech trends that promise to define 2025. From spatial computing to the exponential growth of Generative AI, and from revolutionary health tech solutions to the unrelenting march of sustainable technologies. Also, from the ever-pressing need for robust cybersecurity to the decentralized energy systems of tomorrow.

These current and future tech trends are just the beginning of a remarkable era. The boundaries between the virtual and physical worlds blur, offering boundless possibilities for innovation and transformation in the years ahead. 

Learn more about current and future trends in UX/UI

Want to know more about UI trends and the things that people love? Read our article about current UI trends. Wondering what could be the next thing in UX design? Generative AI? Or hyper-personalization? These are all cool things, and many people will list them as the hot UX design trends of 2025, but we think there has to be more out there. Here are our ideas about the upcoming UX trends.

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