Top 10 Advanced Technology Trends to Watch in 2025 By 2030, 80% of humans will engage with smart robots daily, up from less than 10% in 2024

In 2024, technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), humanoid robots, and neurological chips were the talk of the town. However, this is just the beginning. The upcoming years of technological development will integrate machines and human lives like never before. Gartner recently released its list of ten strategic technology trends expected to dominate in the next decade.

Agentic AI

By 2025, businesses will experience the rise of Agentic AI—software programs capable of making decisions and taking actions independently to achieve assigned goals. These programs will have human-like features such as memory, planning, and environmental sensing.

According to Gartner, by 2028, at least 15 per cent of daily work decisions will be made autonomously through Agentic AI, up from zero in 2024.

"Organizations have long wanted to promote high-performing teams, improve cross-functional collaboration and coordinate issues across team networks. Agentic AI has the potential to perform as a highly competent teammate by providing insights from derivative events that are often not visible to human teammates," said Tom Coshow, Senior Director Analyst, Gartner.

Ambient Invisible Intelligence

Ambient invisible intelligence involves the widespread use of small, low-cost tags and sensors to track the location and status of objects and environments. For example, sensors attached to keys or wallets can help locate them via your phone.

These devices collect data like location, temperature, or movement, sending it to the network (cloud) for analysis. This aids in record-keeping and decision-making. A sensor on a store shelf can detect when a product is running low and automatically reorder it.

"In manufacturing, components and machinery could communicate with management systems, providing updates on maintenance needs, stock levels or usage patterns. This visibility helps optimize supply chains, prevent equipment downtime and automate reordering," Nick Jones Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner

Disinformation Security

Disinformation security will become crucial as it becomes harder to discern trustworthy information, especially with increasingly sophisticated cyber frauds and scams. Businesses will implement disinformation security systems to ensure information accuracy, verify authenticity, prevent impersonation, and monitor the spread of harmful content. By 2028, 50 per cent of enterprises will adopt products or features specifically addressing disinformation security, up from less than 5 per cent in 2024.

"For example, if an employee receives an email appearing to be from the CEO requesting sensitive information, disinformation security tools would analyze the email's content, metadata, and origin to detect impersonation or fraud. They could automatically quarantine the email, alert the employee, and notify IT security," said Dan Ayoub, Senior Director Analyst, Gartner.

AI Governance Platforms

2024 could be called the "Year of AI" as every sector has adopted it. While more advanced AI features are on the horizon, concerns about security risks, machine bias, and unethical use are growing. To address these issues and build consumer trust, the use of AI governance platforms will increase. Companies adopting them are expected to achieve 30 per cent higher customer trust ratings and 25 per cent better regulatory compliance scores than competitors by 2028. AI governance ensures AI platforms make fair and ethical decisions.

"When you use a bank's app or website, AI powers features like fraud detection, loan approvals, and personalized advice. An AI governance platform helps the bank ensure these systems make decisions fairly and ethically, protect data, and comply with regulations," said Jasleen Kaur Sindhu, VP Analyst Gartner.

Spatial Computing

Spatial computing blends the digital world with the real world around you. Using special glasses or your phone's camera, you can see digital objects that appear real. Products like Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses are examples already in the market. By 2028, nearly 20 per cent of people will have an immersive experience with persistently anchored, geoposed content once a week, up from less than 1 per cent in 2023.

Post-Quantum Cryptography

Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is designed to be secure against the threats posed by quantum computers. By 2029, advances in quantum computing will render most conventional asymmetric cryptography unsafe, necessitating more advanced mechanisms to prevent data threats.

"When employees send sensitive emails containing financial data, customer information, or intellectual property, PQC algorithms can encrypt these communications. Even if attackers intercept the data now, they won't be able to decrypt it in the future, even when quantum computers become powerful enough to break current encryption standards," said Mark Horvath, VP Analyst, Gartner.

Energy-Efficient Computing

With sustainability becoming paramount, energy-efficient computing will be a focus area. Technologies like computers and AI consume significant energy. Energy-efficient computing helps businesses design and operate computers, data centers, and digital systems to minimize energy consumption and carbon footprint.

"Imagine a smart office building where energy-efficient computing is integrated into daily operations. IoT sensors track occupancy, adjusting lighting, HVAC, and equipment usage in real-time based on actual needs, resulting in significant cost savings and carbon footprint reduction," added Jones.

Hybrid Computing

Hybrid computing involves using the right technology for each part of a complex task. Just as you use different tools for different jobs, computing uses CPUs, GPUs, edge devices, ASICs, and advanced systems like neuromorphic, quantum, and photonic computers to solve complex problems. Businesses will leverage these technologies for disruptive impacts similar to generative AI.

"An organization might run core, sensitive applications on local servers for security and control, while leveraging the cloud for high-performance tasks like data analytics, AI, or backup storage. This hybrid setup enables efficient scaling, cost optimization, and flexibility," said Soyeb Barot, VP Analyst at Gartner.

Polyfunctional Robots

Polyfunctional robots are versatile machines that can perform multiple tasks instead of just one. Imagine a robot that can clean your house, cook meals, and help with homework—all in one device. These robots are designed to be flexible in both construction and operation, changing their shape or tools to suit different jobs. For example, a robot might have arms that can switch between holding a screwdriver, paintbrush, or cooking utensil.

According to the report, by 2030, 80 per cent of humans will engage with smart robots daily, up from less than 10 per cent in 2024.

Neurological Enhancement

Neurological enhancement uses technology to improve how our brains function. Devices have been created that can read brain signals and even send information back to the brain, helping us think more clearly, learn faster, or remember better.

This technology is gaining popularity because it can help doctors understand the brain better, leading to improved healthcare and treatments. Businesses are also exploring brain-machine interfaces to help workers enhance cognitive abilities and stay competitive.

By 2030, it's expected that 60 per cent of IT workers will be enhanced by, and dependent on, technologies like bidirectional brain-machine interfaces (BBMIs), both employer and self-funded, which are on the rise in 2024.

"Imagine a job interview done with a brain interface in two minutes. Neurological enhancement enables organizations to know how a person feels. It can also input to the brain to stimulate employees into being more relaxed or more focused for better productivity. Capabilities will evolve, but existing solutions can give you an edge today," said Sylvain Fabre, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner.