This article is written in collaboration with NVIDIA.
In 2024, AI became more than a buzzword – it became an invaluable tool that allowed businesses to automate tasks and focus energy on innovation and critical thinking.
Expect to see much more of this in 2025, as AI continues to be integrated into our daily workflows. Powerful tools are becoming more accessible and affordable, making it easier than ever for startups to enjoy the benefits. Other emerging trends can help founders to increase revenue, speed up decision making and boost workplace productivity.
There’s a huge amount to be excited about for next year. Below is a list of our top 12 predictions for technology and workplace trends in 2025, and how they can drive your business forward.
If the past few years have been about experimentation, 2025 is the time for deliberate integration. Increased GenAI use will reshape industries and workplaces over the next year, setting new standards for speed and quality of service.
Making GenAI a core part of your operations will be critical if you want to build and maintain a competitive advantage. While ChatGPT has been the go-to application for many founders so far, new GenAI applications have surfaced that can supercharge your productivity:
You can see examples of GenAI’s potential in industries like financial services, where it’s being used to support everything from risk management to fraud detection. In NVIDIA’s Inception program, several cutting-edge startups are harnessing GenAI to drive further innovation in the sector too – read more about them here.
Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence that can operate autonomously to solve problems and achieve specific goals. It’s been described as the next big thing in AI development – Gartner has estimated that 33% of enterprise software applications will include agentic AI by 2028, up from fewer than 1% in 2024.
Unlike other AI systems that need constant human input, agentic AI can act on its own to plan actions, make complex decisions, adapt to changing environments and learn as it goes. Real-world applications include self-driving vehicles, where AI systems need to navigate routes and make instant driving and safety decisions.
Agentic AI offers vast potential for startups, allowing founders to automate complex, goal-oriented tasks with minimal oversight. It’s also predicted to be easier to adopt for startups and other businesses with cloud-based systems, rather than those with legacy infrastructure.
However, there are still questions to be answered about how this type of technology can be used ethically and what safety guidelines need to be in place.
As AI becomes deeply integrated into decision making, startups are focusing on transparency, interpretability and ethics. There’s a growing need for guidelines to help businesses ensure that AI applications are used safely and responsibly.
Explainable AI (XAI) tools aim to help users understand how AI models reached a specific output by describing the rationale and decision-making process. With XAI, businesses can build trust in AI outputs – a must in regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
XAI is just one part of a shift towards better AI governance, which we’ll continue to see in 2025. It’s vital to have governance platforms on your radar, particularly if you’re using AI systems to make important strategic decisions or handle large amounts of data, and need to be vigilant about potential biases.
Personalized recommendations are nothing new. Platforms like Netflix, Spotify and YouTube have been delivering tailored content recommendations for years – but that’s just the beginning.
We’re entering the era of hyper-personalization, where advanced AI models will enable deeper personalization in sales, marketing, ecommerce and customer experiences. You can use real-time insights to tailor interactions around individual preferences, and reach customers at the right place and time.
It’s a huge opportunity for startups with limited sales and marketing resources, who need to get the best results from minimal time investment. Research from McKinsey found that personalization can reduce customer acquisition costs by up to 50% and increase revenues by 5-15%.
You can use AI to:
As cyber threats become more dangerous, advanced AI and machine learning algorithms are vital to monitor systems, identify threats early and respond in real time.
These AI-driven security methods are already powerful, but they will need to constantly evolve to combat new threats in 2025. Expect security systems to become more proactive, with greater focus on pre-emptive security, automated incident response and behavioral analysis to detect subtle anomalies.
Get your startup’s security in shape now:
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a real-world entity or process. It’s used to simulate different situations to help businesses understand potential outcomes and make better decisions.
Simulations are nothing new for lots of businesses, but digital twins automatically update as reality changes. Data connects the real-world and virtual entities together, providing near-real-time linkage. With realistic, up-to-date models, businesses can make predictions with a higher level of confidence.
In 2025, digital twins will become more dynamic. Using advancements in AI and high-speed data processing, the technology can provide more accurate insights, predict behavior and respond autonomously to different conditions.
For fast-growing startups, digital twin technology can be transformative:
Real-time data analytics help businesses make rapid decisions and stay agile in competitive markets. A lot of startups are already using real-time analytics, but 2025 will see more advanced capabilities that can create a deeper impact.
As data tools become more widespread, startups can access AI-powered insights rather than having to manually review dashboards. These analytics can make your business more responsive, whether it’s optimizing your marketing campaigns or setting dynamic pricing to reflect real-time demand.
Use this free checklist to find out how you can start building a data culture in your business.
Advancing sustainability will continue to be a strong focus in most industries, with businesses seeking innovative ways to optimize energy use, reduce waste and enable circular practices.
Customers increasingly favor brands with eco-friendly practices, while environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria are now pivotal in lots of funding decisions. If you’re planning on seeking investment and growing your business in 2025, it’s wise to bring sustainable technology and practices into your planning.
Startups are also thriving in areas like agriculture, carbon capture, clean energy, green computing and sustainable infrastructure. You can read about the NVIDIA-accelerated startups making waves in climate technology here.
Zero trust is a security strategy based on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” Unlike traditional security models that trust users within a network, zero trust requires continuous authentication and verification for every user and device. It can reduce the risk of a data breach and minimize damage caused by an attack by restricting the breach to a small area.
Zero trust will be a familiar concept for many startups, but it’s far from universally adopted. This is likely to change over the next year, as cybersecurity threats intensify and zero trust strategies become essential to protect data and systems.
The good news is that plenty of affordable solutions are emerging to help smaller teams and businesses stay secure.
Whether your work is office-based, remote or hybrid, you’ll know that technology plays a consistent role in driving collaboration and productivity.
In 2025, we’ll see workplaces continue to evolve and harness new tech capabilities. The ongoing rollout of 5G has made cities more connected than ever, with faster download speeds and mobile coverage giving founders the flexibility to run their business anywhere.
There will also be greater emphasis on digital-first workplaces that are built around automation, virtual collaboration tools and other AI-powered solutions. With a strong digital ecosystem in place, in-person work can become more creative and value-driven.
This can approach can:
As AI and automation transform workplaces, businesses will need to embrace continuous learning and upskill their teams to stay competitive.
This doesn’t mean becoming a fully fledged tech expert, but you’ll need to be able to make informed decisions about the best tool for each part of your business.
Tuning into webinars is a great way to build your general knowledge, while joining small business networks can give you insight on how other founders are using technology and what tools they recommend.
Hiring and retaining talented individuals is a top priority for any business. It’s expensive and time-consuming to recruit, and competition is fierce for in-demand skills.
Startups can’t always compete with large companies on salary and perks, but they often have the edge when it comes to culture and work-life balance. New AI wellness tools aim to make it easier than ever to support employee wellbeing and help businesses build a positive culture.
These tools can be used to track employee stress levels and make tailored interventions where necessary, whether it’s suggesting breaks or mindfulness exercises. Some tools can also offer real-time feedback on productivity and engagement, so you can intervene if there’s a risk of burnout.
If you’ve got a small team that works at a fast pace, you’ll know that stress and overwhelm are real risks. Investing in a wellbeing tool can help you proactively address any issues and foster a supportive environment as your team grows.
As we look ahead to the new year, technology can offer endless possibilities. Whether your goal is to improve productivity, secure funding or scale up your business, taking the next step is easier with the right support.
Dell for Startups can give you all the help you need to align your technology needs with your business goals. You’ll get exclusive access to startup tech advice, member pricing, networking events and more. Make 2025 your best year yet – join Dell for Startups now.