5 Major Technology Trends to Prepare for by 2025

Today, we’re taking a look at 5 of the most important technology trends by 2025.

The speed of technological change in today’s world is hard to underestimate. Although innovation in the tech landscape is nothing new, our changes since the pandemic seem to be happening at an accelerating pace. In recent years, we’ve seen a significant increase in everything from AI initiatives to the Internet of Things (IoT).

While not all technology trends are a necessity for every brand, there are some new innovations that will have a lasting impact on most businesses.

5 technology trends you need to be prepared for by 2025 (if you’re not already investing in these areas) are:

1.    Automation at scale

The concept of “hyper-automation” has gained increasing attention in recent years. As companies struggle with increasingly demanding customers, rapid employee turnover, and increasingly complex processes, automation is becoming a critical factor in keeping things running smoothly.

Many companies are already investing in simple automation processes, such as managing IT and data processing. However, hyper-automation will take this concept to the next level. With hyper-automation, companies are taking advantage of the combined benefits of RPA (Robotic Process Automation), machine learning, and AI.

Hyper-automation will impact all types of workflows by enabling companies to respond more intelligently and instantly to a range of common problems. The right solutions will involve building “smart workflows” with robotic systems capable of responding to context. The key to success for most brands, of course, is knowing what to automate and how to implement the right workflow strategies.

For example, while various aspects of customer service such as onboarding and routine payment management can be easily automated, there will still need to be humans providing compassion and empathy to end users. The future depends on the perfect balance between human and machine innovation.

2.    New Standards for AI Investments

There’s no way around the massive impact of Artificial Intelligence on businesses around the world today. Increasingly, we rely on intelligent solutions to help us identify trends in customer preferences, capture sentiment, and even predict future needs. However, the smarter our tools become, the more they can bring privacy and security challenges.

According to one study, 70% of U.S. citizens currently worry that AI is taking over our lives or collecting too much information. As technologies like natural language processing and biometric security solutions become more prevalent, it’s important that leaders take steps to develop policies and practices that keep everyone safe.

Organizations need to ensure that they aren’t only investing in AI solutions that will make their teams more efficient and productive, but also in solutions that have been developed with AI ethics in mind. Everything from how data is collected and stored to how companies invest in developing virtual agents needs to be rethought. In the future, we can expect to see a variety of new governance strategies in this space.

If you plan to implement more AI technology into your ecosystem in the coming years, it’s imperative that you also ensure you take steps to keep the landscape as secure as possible.

3.    The Rise of Distributed Cloud Environments

Cloud technology is probably one of the most far-reaching innovations we’ve seen in recent years. Although the shift to cloud processes has been underway at major brands for some time, it’s become increasingly important in recent years. The rise of hybrid working and distributed workers means we’re all spending more time in the cloud than ever before.

The concept of “distributed cloud” envisions a landscape where organizations can move services, management, and business operations outside of a centralized data center to be accessed wherever they’re needed, including on-edge device networks. Although large cloud service providers are still gaining traction today, the number of smaller providers that can deliver more flexible solutions is likely to increase.

Regardless of what happens next in the cloud landscape, interoperability and open standards will be critical. Teams will need access to simple and accessible cloud landscapes where they can combine multiple tools into a single platform. At the same time, organizations will need to ensure that the use of these cloud environments doesn’t cause problems with the team’s internal compliance and security strategies.

4.    The Extended Edge

With the advent of the cloud, there is also an increasing demand for distributed devices and tools that can connect to a larger network. The “extended edge” is a data processing and storage solution that enables higher levels of functionality and processing at the edge of enterprise networks.

As IoT solutions become more prevalent and connectivity solutions such as 5G technology emerge, the “extended edge” will become an increasingly valuable tool for many enterprises. For now, however, it’s important to note that not every enterprise necessarily has the infrastructure in place to harness the power of the edge.

Without access to 5G connectivity, many enterprises may struggle to provide true real-time interactions between devices and solutions with high processing power. Others will have to wait for their automation, machine learning, and AI strategies to mature further before they can also move into the edge environment. Distributed cloud could also prove to be a powerful feature in an enterprise’s transition to the edge, as it gives brands more control over their cloud networks.

5.    Innovative CX Strategies Evolve

It’s no secret that customer service and support have become the most important aspects of today’s business landscape. Many companies are already investing in new and innovative processes to improve the customer experience. Many of these new strategies take advantage of the trends mentioned above.

For example, hyper-automation solutions can enable faster and smarter self-service onboarding and troubleshooting experiences for team members. Implementing AI solutions to manage common transactions is also likely to become more important in the future. Companies are already implementing solutions such as AI systems that performed bio-metric checks to reduce the time it takes to identify a customer.

Another area we’re likely to see an increased focus on in the future is the world of XR. Augmented reality technology enables the creation of deep and futuristic experiences between companies and their customers. With an AR app, users can test the look of a product in their homes or walk them through the process of setting up a new application. VR Solutions enable more immersive demonstrations and support experiences.

XR is still in the very early stages of becoming a mainstream technology for the digital world, but many companies are beginning to participate. Already, we’re seeing the increasing development of AR solutions and the rapid integration of new tools to increase employee productivity and collaboration.

With the advent of 5G, AI and other powerful technologies that contribute to the XR environment, more and more companies are likely to follow this path.

Looking Forward to 2025

While it’s impossible to predict with certainty what the future holds for today’s tech-savvy companies, we can make some clear predictions based on the technology trends we’ve observed so far. All five of the above technology trends are already experiencing phenomenal growth and adoption across all industries, and many brands are planning to get more involved in the coming years.

If you want to ensure you’re competitive in the new age of digital transformation, the best thing you can do is start with the right plan. Contact Bulb Tech today to learn how implementing tools like IoT and hyper-automation can take your business to the next level.