ai: growth of agents and data centres
in 2024, ai played a pivotal role in making groundbreaking discoveries, such as decoding ancient scrolls too fragile for human handling. the promise of ai continues to expand, especially with the rise of ai agents designed to streamline tasks.
while companies have started deploying ai agents, these systems are still in the early stages of development. however, we can expect to see more ai agents in 2025. kari briski, vp of generative ai software at nvidia, predicts a wave of semi-autonomous ai agents assisting businesses with tasks like customer service, human resources, and data security. these agents will be customizable, offering specialized support.
to power this growth, new ai data centres will be necessary, with an emphasis on sustainability. charlie boyle from nvidia highlights the importance of liquid cooling to improve both performance and energy efficiency in data centres.
tech in europe: cleantech ai start-ups and romania's emergence
green ai technologies are expected to be a major focus in europe in 2025, with increased investment in sustainable and clean tech. federico menna, ceo of eit digital, points out that europe’s strength lies in its historical commitment to these values, positioning the region as a leader in the cleantech space.
eastern european nations, particularly romania, are poised to become key players in the tech sector, especially in cybersecurity. estonia and latvia are also expected to lead in defense technologies, focusing on dual-use innovations that serve both military and civilian needs.
quantum: addressing the quantum threat
quantum computing continued to make strides in 2024, with google’s willow chip completing a computation in five minutes that would have taken the fastest supercomputer millions of years. in 2025, quantum cryptography is expected to take center stage in protecting sensitive data from the looming “quantum threat.” this threat arises from the potential of quantum computers to break existing encryption systems that safeguard vital infrastructure. quantum cryptography is seen as a crucial safeguard against this risk, particularly for government operations.
social media: regulation and the role of advertisers
2024 witnessed significant transformations in social media, with platforms like elon musk's x gaining prominence in the political sphere, tiktok strengthening its dominance, and emerging platforms like bluesky making strides. looking ahead to 2025, experts predict a shift towards privacy-conscious, independent platforms with better content moderation policies. as governments increase regulatory pressure, especially in the eu, social media platforms will be required to comply with stricter rules, while the us may take a more relaxed approach.
according to internet activist nighat dad, advertisers will play an even greater role in shaping the future of social media platforms. advertisers are likely to become more influential, driving changes to content moderation and platform policies.
robotics: a slow start for home automation
tesla’s humanoid robots are set to enter factories in 2025, but widespread use of robots in homes is still a distant prospect. david reger, ceo of neura robotics, anticipates the debut of robots that can perform household tasks in commercial settings and public institutions. while at-home robots may not be ready just yet, the growing demand for robotics in response to labor shortages could accelerate development.
crypto: a more stable market
cryptocurrency closed 2024 at historic highs, with bitcoin breaking records. as we move into 2025, the market may stabilize, with crypto and blockchain technology gaining broader acceptance. experts like pascal gauthier, ceo of ledger, predict that the cryptocurrency market will continue to expand, and businesses will focus less on market fluctuations, with a more mature and resilient ecosystem emerging.