Here are three more technology predictions for the year, all hinging on AI and related technologies
As we step cautiously into the new year, the rapid evolution of technology continues to reshape industries worldwide, unlocking new possibilities while posing unique challenges.
From the transformative potential of AI in payroll management and real-time analytics, to the looming cybersecurity threats posed by deepfake technology… businesses will need to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape.
This following predictions from three corporations highlight the dual role of AI as a tool for innovation and a shield against emerging risks that may define the year.
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Generative AI in Payroll: empowering precision and proactive compliance
AI, particularly generative AI, will continue transforming payroll management in 2025, driving greater precision and efficiency. At ADP, we’ve seen AI-driven solutions simplify complex payroll tasks, improve accuracy, and reduce administrative burdens, enabling HR professionals to focus on strategic priorities.
AI-powered payroll systems can now detect anomalies, flag compliance risks, and offer predictive insights into payroll trends. For example, generative AI can analyse large datasets to predict the financial impact of regulatory changes or workforce shifts, empowering organizations to make informed, proactive decisions.
In addition, as compliance requirements become more complex across jurisdictions, AI plays a crucial role in ensuring payroll processes stay compliant with evolving laws, such as wage-and-hour regulations and tax requirements. This is especially important in the diverse Asia-Pacific region.
However, while AI excels at data processing and automating repetitive tasks, human oversight remains essential. Ethical considerations, transparency, and data security should guide AI adoption in payroll. At ADP, we advocate for a balanced approach that enhances, rather than replaces, the human element in payroll management.
In this transformative era, AI is not just an operational tool; it is a strategic partner helping organizations future-proof their payroll systems while prioritizing accuracy, compliance, and employee trust.
Jessica Zhang
Senior Vice-President (Asia Pacific), ADP -
Real-time data analytics: unlocking smarter, sustainable solutions
In 2025, we foresee greater deployment of real-time analytics across industries, with organizations increasingly relying on live data streams for on-demand predictions of fraud, customer personalization, modernization efforts, and solving the AI-sustainability puzzle.
AI’s lasting impact and valuable investments are here to stay, with data being fundamental to delivering quality, AI-learning models. AI models will open up new possibilities for predictive and generative AI applications. Increased data interoperability will drive more efficient workflows across teams, unlock quality value from data, uncover new business possibilities and build smart, real-time applications.
In the same breath, with AI’s advancement, organizations will be turning to data streaming to “modernize” their business and infrastructure. One such modernization effort is shifting the processing of data closer to where it is generated, for creating trustworthy and clean data products and efficiently moving the data in real time to other parts of the organization. This is proving especially important across sectors that require up-to-date insights, such as in banking and financial institutions, healthcare, smart cities and industrial automation.
Lastly, real-time data processing will play a growing role in meeting regulatory and compliance requirements for sustainable AI systems. Data streaming will move away from batch processing to contextualizing each data point in near real-time, reducing the computational resources needed to analyze data streams.
Ultimately, our hope is for real-time data processing to drive smarter, more efficient decisions and sustainable solutions, supporting organizations to elevate their strategies and growth in the future economy.
Suvig Sharma
Area Vice President (ASEAN), Confluent -
AI vs deepfakes: strengthening cybersecurity in a threat-filled landscape
In 2025, deepfake technology will likely be one of the most concerning cybersecurity challenges worldwide. This AI-powered threat will enable increasingly sophisticated social engineering attacks, bypassing traditional detection systems and exploiting human vulnerabilities. We anticipate a surge in insider threats, with deepfake-generated “employees” infiltrating organizations to steal data or execute ransomware schemes.
The role of AI in this landscape will be a vital defence mechanism. AI-powered resilience frameworks that allow organizations to adapt dynamically to complex threats will be crucial in the AI arms race against bad actors. Increasingly developers will use AI to enhance detection, enabling real-time adjustments to secure data flows and protect sensitive systems.
To further combat deepfake-driven attacks, businesses will start to adopt advanced identity verification strategies such as behavioral analysis and contextual authentication, that go beyond traditional passwords and biometrics. Predictive AI, capable of evaluating both technical systems and unusual behaviour patterns, will help organizations adapt swiftly to emerging threats. The future of cybersecurity lies in building agile AI-enhanced defenses that address both technical and human vulnerabilities head-on.
Stewart Garrett
Regional Vice President (ASEAN & Japan), MongoDB
While potential abounds in these predictions, positive developments will ultimately hinge on balanced innovation, robust security, and ethical implementation.
