Tech enthusiasts are looking into their crystal balls to identify 2025 tech trends. Topping the list, of course, is artificial intelligence.
What else qualifies as a tech trend for 2025?
John Joyce, co-owner of CRS Technology Consultants, recently discussed 2025 tech trends during a Tech Bytes segment on ABC7. He shared his take on AI and advances in technology that are making their way into our homes and businesses.
2025 tech trends: AI
Artificial intelligence – the good, the bad and the scary – has dominated headlines for several years. Nearly all tech experts feature AI atop their list of 2025 tech trends. This includes John, who notes that manufacturers recognize they must market trendy features like AI to sell devices.
“It seems like almost every new product, by default, has to have it on the ‘side of the box’ as we say, whether it’s in a new word processor, a website or app,” John notes. “What we’re seeing coming in 2025, though, is services have integrated AI throughout the year, but the products are still to come.”
For years, John has been encouraging tech consumers to be cautious when adopting new technologies. That’s because tech often develops faster than corresponding security features. Although AI is still in its infancy, its pace of development may be slowing because device manufacturers are struggling to incorporate the technology into consumer-focused products.
“What they’re running into a plateauing effect,” John says. “There was this hope that AI would continue to improve at a certain speed, but we’re seeing that speed kind of taper off and slow down.”
READ MORE: AI dangers in new technology
2025 tech trends: Smart homes and smart offices
Smart devices are not new. Historically, the term “smart” has been associated with TVs and streaming platforms. However, manufacturers continue to introduce additional smart devices for the home and office, like kitchen appliances, door locks, wireless printers and more. Smart has become the standard.
“We’re seeing it come more and more to your thermostat, your light bulbs,” John says. “They’ve all got a chip in them, which means they all can do new and amazing things.”
Unfortunately, that’s also introduced an additional challenge. Technology can break. With traditional devices, individuals with a technical background and DIY skills could troubleshoot a problem. Now, individuals need a tech background, too.
“We’ve all become part-time systems engineers at home learning how to make our stuff work in a way that we didn’t have before,” John says.
Specifically for businesses, John highlights these 2025 tech trends:
- AI has accelerated the automation of certain functions. You used to hand off mundane tasks to an intern; the hope is soon you can just hand it off to AI. Having devices complete some time-consuming tasks allows us to focus on more big-picture items. Be cautious before handing off tasks to AI, though, because safety, security and quality all have potential to be compromised.
- Cloud-based storage is replacing traditional servers and hard drives. It’s less expensive, scalable and generally secure. In Southwest Florida, the cloud plays a key role in disaster recovery planning around hurricanes and other natural disasters, as well as cyber incidents.
- Wireless connections are replacing wires and cords. Wireless capabilities make the office portable and free desks of clutter. Although wireless connectivity continues to improve with every generation, it still isn’t quite as reliable as wired connections. Weigh the benefits of keeping “mission critical” tech wired in.
2025 tech trends: New devices
Devices like VR headsets and smart glasses are not yet household items. That’s because the price point isn’t yet in the budget for the average family and users aren’t quite sure what to do with these devices. John expects that to change because tech manufacturers need to sell products and generate revenue.
“These companies want to sell us new things,” he says. “The easiest way to do that is provide us a new thing to go buy.”
John points to foldable cellphones as an example. Nearly 98% of Americans have a mobile phone, according to Pew Research Center. Tech companies want to sell consumers a new phone every few years to maintain consistent revenue streams. As of now, only Android phones are foldable. Apple is rumored to be developing a foldable iPhone that could be released in 2026.
“One of the easiest ways to get us to buy a new phone is to make the new phone actually look different – not just do new things but be able to fold up in a different way or be used in different utilities,” John says.
In tech, manufacturers are always looking for the next big thing. John believes the “last frontier” with tech was in our pockets with the cell phone – the one device that everyone needed to buy.
As such, the “next frontier” may be on our faces. John believes smart glasses with built-in cameras and sensors just might be the next big thing.
To close out his segment on ABC7, John sported a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, a collaboration between the two iconic brands to produce a wearable device that features built-in cameras, open-ear audio and seamless social sharing.
“With that comes the security and privacy conversation,” John notes. “This is a really great new toy that I have to play with, but I’m also walking around with a pair of cameras pointing at everyone I talk to while wearing them. That is a social contract that we all have to work through.”
READ MORE: AI dangers in new technology
2025 tech trends: Smart homes and smart offices
Smart devices are not new. Historically, the term “smart” has been associated with TVs and streaming platforms. However, manufacturers continue to introduce additional smart devices for the home and office, like kitchen appliances, door locks, wireless printers and more. Smart has become the standard.
“We’re seeing it come more and more to your thermostat, your light bulbs,” John says. “They’ve all got a chip in them, which means they all can do new and amazing things.”
Unfortunately, that’s also introduced an additional challenge. Technology can break. With traditional devices, individuals with a technical background and DIY skills could troubleshoot a problem. Now, individuals need a tech background, too.
“We’ve all become part-time systems engineers at home learning how to make our stuff work in a way that we didn’t have before,” John says.
Specifically for businesses, John highlights these 2025 tech trends:
- AI has accelerated the automation of certain functions. You used to hand off mundane tasks to an intern; the hope is soon you can just hand it off to AI. Having devices complete some time-consuming tasks allows us to focus on more big-picture items. Be cautious before handing off tasks to AI, though, because safety, security and quality all have potential to be compromised.
- Cloud-based storage is replacing traditional servers and hard drives. It’s less expensive, scalable and generally secure. In Southwest Florida, the cloud plays a key role in disaster recovery planning around hurricanes and other natural disasters, as well as cyber incidents.
- Wireless connections are replacing wires and cords. Wireless capabilities make the office portable and free desks of clutter. Although wireless connectivity continues to improve with every generation, it still isn’t quite as reliable as wired connections. Weigh the benefits of keeping “mission critical” tech wired in.
2025 tech trends: New devices
Devices like VR headsets and smart glasses are not yet household items. That’s because the price point isn’t yet in the budget for the average family and users aren’t quite sure what to do with these devices. John expects that to change because tech manufacturers need to sell products and generate revenue.
“These companies want to sell us new things,” he says. “The easiest way to do that is provide us a new thing to go buy.”
John points to foldable cellphones as an example. Nearly 98% of Americans have a mobile phone, according to Pew Research Center. Tech companies want to sell consumers a new phone every few years to maintain consistent revenue streams. As of now, only Android phones are foldable. Apple is rumored to be developing a foldable iPhone that could be released in 2026.
“One of the easiest ways to get us to buy a new phone is to make the new phone actually look different – not just do new things but be able to fold up in a different way or be used in different utilities,” John says.
In tech, manufacturers are always looking for the next big thing. John believes the “last frontier” with tech was in our pockets with the cell phone – the one device that everyone needed to buy.
As such, the “next frontier” may be on our faces. John believes smart glasses with built-in cameras and sensors just might be the next big thing.
To close out his segment on ABC7, John sported a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, a collaboration between the two iconic brands to produce a wearable device that features built-in cameras, open-ear audio and seamless social sharing.
“With that comes the security and privacy conversation,” John notes. “This is a really great new toy that I have to play with, but I’m also walking around with a pair of cameras pointing at everyone I talk to while wearing them. That is a social contract that we all have to work through.”
