According to the data-supported predictions of one global marketing and business advisory,  agency, the predictions can help leaders prioritize their investments.

A business and market research agency has identified 10 emerging technologies expected to shape enterprise strategies in 2025, driven by the shift from experimental AI to critical business applications.

Amid geopolitical uncertainties, the top five of these emerging technologies in the list are likely to have been shortlisted with the stated aim to “balance innovation with security and resilience, offering benefits over short, mid, and long-term horizons.”

The top five emerging technologies for the year, in the world of the research firm involved, are:

  • IoT security: Strengthens defenses for connected devices and critical data, vital for businesses with high technology integration
  • Synthetic data: Enhances AI model training while prioritizing privacy, benefiting financial services, healthcare, and public sectors
  • Agentic AI: Enables autonomous decision-making, improving flexibility in business processes, though accuracy and trust need refinement
  • Generative AI for visual content: Creates photorealistic images and videos, impacting marketing, retail, and e-commerce by boosting personalization
  • Humanoid robots: Autonomous robots with human-like functionality, hindered by high costs and integration challenges, with significant impact expected beyond five years

Based on past resources often pushed by the same agency, the remaining five emerging technologies are likely to be Edge AI, Quantum computing, AR platforms, Zero trust and Digital twins architectures, in no particular order given the rapid changes since the release of the older resources.

According to Sharyn Leaver, Chief Research Officer, Forrester, the firm behind the predictions*: “Business and technology leaders should focus on investments that drive growth and innovation. Despite global uncertainty, AI’s rapid progress will continue, and enterprises balancing innovation with risk mitigation will thrive.”

The firm will be releasing the top 10 list in full during a webinar scheduled for May 2025.

*The methodology used for predicting the technologies’ impact in 2025 typically involves a blend of expert analysis, client feedback, market trend analysis, and investment monitoring, with technologies categorized by benefit horizons. A structured framework of critical market factors is typically taken by the researchers as a thorough assessment process, supported by surveys and evaluations where needed.