Source: Quantum

It’s safe to say that 2025 is going to be a pretty strange year. Wouldn’t it be nice to be prepared for what’s to come?

Unfortunately, predicting the future is an imperfect practice. But at least we can offer you some educated guesses at this historical juncture in our relationship with technology.

This year, the giants of the tech world will push the development of artificial intelligence and facial computers harder than ever. You might gravitate toward smaller, more connected online communities.

This is just the beginning. This week, major well-known companies, emerging companies and countless "followers" will gather in Las Vegas to participate in the annual technology event-Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which is also where technology companies of all sizes gather. A bellwether for setting priorities in the new year.

As always, we'll separate the novelty from the things that will never happen. Before that, we’ll give you a rundown of the technology trends you might have to deal with in 2025.

1. Artificial intelligence is everywhere

You must have expected it.

Big tech CEOs are investing billions of dollars in conversational artificial intelligence, while some critics say the technology is overhyped. Regardless, you're going to see a lot more AI this year.

But oddly enough, some experts say you may be hearing less about it. Deloitte chief futurist Mike Bechtel said that if 2024 is the year that artificial intelligence moves from impressive technology demonstrations to meaningful products, this year may see artificial intelligence finally start to become dull. strange.

"In 2025, artificial intelligence will truly become fundamental and more important than ever but talked about less than ever," Bechtel said. "Electricity is everywhere, but we don't talk about it anymore. It's just an assumption."

This shift to mainstream life will take many different forms.

The role of artificial intelligence in the workplace and K-12 classrooms is likely to continue to expand. Relationships with chatbots like Replika and Character.ai’s talking avatars will become more normalized—for better or worse. While early AI devices, like Humane's AI pin, flopped almost immediately, many other companies, including many at this year's CES, are gearing up to make big splashes in AI wearables and computers.

2. Goodbye Metaverse, hello spatial computing

Although the Metaverse concept seems to have stalled, major technology companies will not stop their efforts to build facial computers.

(If you don’t remember the concept of the metaverse, it refers to a shared virtual space where we can become virtual characters to communicate.)

What is changing, though, is the experience some of these companies want us to have.

The hype bubble about the Metaverse hasn’t burst yet, but it appears to have shrunk significantly. Instead, companies like Meta, Google and Samsung are expected to further push the concept of "spatial computing," where the real world collides with the digital tools you use to get work done.

“We’ve seen the market shift away from virtual world escapism from the real world and towards a mixed reality experience,” Bechtel said.

Imagine putting on headphones or a pair of normal-looking glasses and seeing your favorite app or turn-by-turn directions appear in front of you. Now imagine interacting with these digital elements with your hands. This is the beauty of spatial computing.

If this sounds familiar, you're right: Apple boosted the concept with the launch of its pricey Vision Pro headset in 2024, which was a hit but saw weak demand. This proves that tech companies need to find a way to make wearable space computers cheaper and faster.

3. The Internet is increasingly fragmented

We have been talking about online "echo chambers" for years, but in 2025, people will continue to migrate from large platforms to small, like-minded online communities.

For example, in the United States, what was once Twitter and now X used to be the front page of the internet, where people could quickly catch up on the day's news and start expressing their opinions. Its feed is now crowded with retweets from owner Elon Musk, and a large number of its users have created accounts on Bluesky, a relatively small Twitter clone known for its left-leaning audience.

As Tumblr communities and Neopets guilds showed in the early 2000s, more private online spaces are not always a bad thing. Create a Discord server for your close friends, join a subreddit for that weird book you like, or support your favorite author on Substack.

Just remember your media literacy and fact-check claims even if they come from people you generally agree with.

4. Concerns about kids and technology may be reaching a peak

In the United States, lawmakers have tried to pass legislation to protect children across the country from a variety of online threats, from extremist content to allegedly addictive apps program function), but all ended in failure.

As some U.S. states and others enact tech-related legal protections for minors—Australia banned social media use by those under 16 in November—federal lawmakers will face challenges. There is increasing pressure to address issues that many parents see as threats to children.

Experts are divided on whether social media has a negative impact on the mental health of children and teenagers. US Surgeon GeneralThe director said he believes lawmakers should set limits and warnings on social media apps as we await conclusive evidence of their impact.

5. Impact of Technology

2025 has just begun, and if you are in the United States, you should be prepared to deal with the technological consequences of some key choices.

Of course, the possibility of imposing tariffs on products imported from Canada, Mexico, and especially the United States, which produces many of the world's consumer electronics products, is looming.

While tech CEOs have recently taken steps to strengthen their relationship with the incoming Trump, certain types of smartphones, tablets, laptops are , wireless headphones and even video game consoles could see significant price increases.

Speaking of our wallets, President-elect Donald Trump has also expressed a willingness to eliminate the $7,500 (approximately 55,000 yuan) federal tax credit for electric vehicles, which may make it difficult to choose a new car this year. The outlook becomes more complex. That's not just bad news for car buyers trying to reduce the burden on the environment; automakers are also desperate for Trump to keep these electric vehicle tax breaks.

TikTok, which has 170 million U.S. users and a large number of professional content creators, may be banned as soon as January 19. U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law requiring the Beijing-based company to sell TikTok to non-owners or face a ban.

President-elect Trump, who takes office on January 20, has said he opposes blocking downloads of TikTok and its companion app, CapCut. He may refuse to enforce the ban once it takes effect, but TikTok may be unavailable while Trump works out the issue.

The list goes on: Net neutrality rules have been overturned, popular drones used in film production and agriculture could be banned, and the incoming FCC chair pledges to crack down on Big Tech not to mention ongoing antitrust cases against Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta.

Our advice is to wear your seat belt.