*Written by Marc Boudria, edited by Marina Fontoura & Lucia Erdmann
Predicting the future of technology often feels like chasing shadows. Every year, countless trend reports emerge, loaded with buzzwords and vague predictions that feel more like marketing than insight. We wanted to do something different.
This piece is built on the responses to a survey completed by technologists, designers, and business leaders from around the world. The responses we received provide a nuanced, grounded perspective on what the future could hold, and they form the foundation of this piece.
This isn’t about what everyone is talking about, but about what no one is discussing yet. Let’s take a closer look at what we found out.
1. The Death of Buzzwords
Trends like “cloud-first” or “digital transformation” may finally give way to meaningful advancements that focus less on marketing hype and more on tangible outcomes. Our respondents highlighted several buzzwords and trends they see losing relevance by 2025, underscoring a need to move beyond shallow marketing terms. For instance, phrases like "metaverse" and "NFTs" are already fading, evolving into concepts like "digital communities" or "digital collectibles."
The narrative around AI is also shifting to a more practical and results-oriented approach. The goal is to move beyond creating new AI models and focus on their practical applications, usability, and ROI. Instead of forcing AI into every problem, the emphasis is on identifying genuine business needs and developing tailored AI solutions.
There's a growing demand for clarity and authenticity in AI discussions, with a focus on technologies that deliver real-world value and meaningful change. This reflects a maturing of the AI conversation, moving away from hype and buzzwords.
2. Niche Tech Trends: The Rise of Low-Level Innovation
2025 could spotlight niche technologies, driven by AI's bold demands and the need for innovative hardware architectures. Long-overlooked low-level engineering, like chip design and firmware, is now crucial for AI's next-gen processors, requiring massive computational power.
The federal government’s unprecedented investment in domestic CPU manufacturing, through initiatives like the CHIPS Act, reflects the urgency of this shift. AI applications, from neural networks to edge computing, are pushing the need for custom processors that are energy-efficient, powerful, and capable of handling complex tasks quickly. These advancements will reshape how industries think about processing power and scalability.
The Shift We Need
Achieving transformative change requires more than financial investment; it demands a systemic focus on preparing talent. Education must prioritize low-level engineering disciplines like electrical engineering, processor architecture, and firmware to meet the demands of an AI-driven future, alongside specialized expertise in quantum computing.
At the same time, other niche technologies—such as bio-integrated sensors, novel materials for sustainable manufacturing, and decentralized infrastructure—are quietly gaining momentum. Adopting these tools will require significant cultural and industrial shifts, challenging us to rethink workflows, priorities, and resource allocation.
Our survey identified several other underappreciated technologies that are poised to reshape industries, emphasizing their practical potential:
These trends demonstrate the diverse and transformative potential of niche technologies in 2025. The emphasis is on practical, impactful innovations that address real-world needs while unlocking new opportunities for growth.
3. Cross-Disciplinary Synergy:
The future isn’t siloed. Collaboration across disciplines will likely give rise to breakthroughs no single field could achieve alone. Expect to see emergent technologies shaped by this cross-disciplinary innovation, such as game engines being used in industrial design or AI models informed by agricultural sciences.
Survey respondents highlighted a range of areas where cross-disciplinary collaborations could spark transformative change:
These collaborations illustrate the power of breaking down silos and embracing intersections between disciplines. By leveraging these opportunities, 2025 could be a year of unexpected advancements and transformative change across the tech landscape.
Conclusion: Setting the Stage for the Future
This first part of our exploration into the future of technology has introduced some of the overlooked innovations that could drive the next wave of tech evolution. We’ve seen how the rise of niche technologies, AI-driven advancements, and a renewed focus on foundational engineering are setting the stage for major change.
But this is just the beginning.
In Part 2, we will explore how these innovations intersect with some of the most pressing challenges of our time—climate change and sustainability. The technologies of the future won’t just reshape industries; they will be key players in addressing the global environmental crisis. Stay tuned as we dive deeper into the critical role technology will play in building a more sustainable world.