Business trends in 2025

Technology

 

Getting the BALL rolling: [B]lockchain meets [A]I and [L]arge [L]anguage Models

Gary Dushnitsky, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Could 2025 see the integration of blockchain and AI solutions? Large language models (LLMs) and other forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) captured the imagination of the world over the past couple of years. The years prior to that saw a similar excitement about blockchain-based solutions. Many enthusiasts promised that these technologies would revolutionise multiple sectors. In the coming year, it will be fascinating to see whether that promise comes to fruition through the integration of the unique strengths of these two markedly different technologies.

There are key differences between AI and blockchain technologies. Two points are noteworthy here. The first concerns fundamental architecture and the distinction between centralisation vs. decentralisation. LLMs call for very large centralised data repositories and processing units. In contrast, blockchain technology operates on a decentralised network, distributing data across multiple nodes.

The second point has to do with transparency. Blockchain draws on a decentralised ledger that records transactions transparently and immutably, allowing all participants to verify and trace data changes. In contrast, AI systems process vast amounts of data to learn and make predictions, often operating as ‘black boxes’ where decision-making processes are not easily interpretable. This is exacerbated by the probabilistic nature of the ‘output’.

The coming year could see the maturity of solutions that leverage the strengths of both technologies to create more robust and efficient systems. Blockchain can provide a secure and transparent data foundation for AI, ensuring the integrity and provenance of the data used for training models. This integration can enhance trust in AI outputs as the underlying data is verifiable and tamper-proof.

AI can optimise blockchain operations by improving scalability and efficiency through intelligent data processing and predictive analytics. This could have invaluable potential in the media and financial sectors, for example, where concern is growing over fraudulent activity and ‘deep-fake’ news enabled by LLM-based AI. Proponents argue that future solutions could combine AI with blockchain, drawing on the latter’s provenance capabilities to address these concerns. And in the healthcare sector, the advent of integrated solutions can revolutionise medical records. Blockchain can ensure the security and immutability of patient data, while AI can analyse the data to provide personalised treatment recommendations and predictive diagnostics.

As startups and incumbents invest heavily in the development of AI and blockchain technologies, 2025 could herald the advent of a whole new era for business and citizens.

From tools to teammates: The evolution of AI collaboration in 2025

Nicos Savva, Professor of Management Science and Operations; Chair, Management Science and Operations Faculty

If 2024 was the year when Generative AI began reshaping the way we work, 2025 is shaping up to be the year we confront the challenges of integrating these new “colleagues” into our workflows. While the Generative AI revolution, fuelled by increasingly capable models and tailored applications, shows promise in moving beyond experimentation, significant hurdles still impede its integration into the heart of business processes. The challenge now lies not just in building AI tools, but in transforming business processes and culture to integrate these tools as functional and reliable team members.

This evolution is catalysed by the emergence of autonomous AI agents that operate alongside human employees in a variety of domains. Powered by Generative AI and equipped with decision-making capabilities, these agents actively interact with the world around them; accessing external systems, gathering real-time data and generating actionable insights. Early frameworks, such as Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (introduced in November 2024), which gives Generative AI access to a PC connected to the internet, illustrate how AI agents can actively perform tasks that previously required human intervention.

Far from being just tools, these agents are better thought of as collaborators: analysing, suggesting and executing tasks with minimal oversight. In customer service, agentic AI systems anticipate client needs and autonomously resolve queries. For example, Sonos, a leading provider of smart sound systems, employs a chatbot that acts as an autonomous problem-solver. This agent independently reads product manuals, proposes novel solutions to customer problems and collaborates with representatives by providing actionable insights that enhance problem resolution.

In legal work, JPMorgan Chase’s COIN platform (Contract Intelligence) autonomously reviews legal documents. This agent performs tasks such as interpreting commercial loan agreements, which would traditionally consume hundreds of hours of lawyer time, in seconds.

Similarly, in back-office operations, companies such as Siemens leverage AI-driven agents to streamline data management. These agents “read” data from one system, reformat it and transfer it to another autonomously, eliminating the need for extensive manual intervention.

In education, platforms such as Khan Academy utilise agentic AI tutors to create personalised learning experiences. (For instance, Khan Academy’s AI tutor provides real-time feedback and tailored guidance based on a student’s progress and individual needs.) These transformative capabilities are driving businesses to rethink workflows and unlock new synergies between human creativity and AI efficiency.

However, the rise of AI agents also brings new responsibilities. Organisations must rethink their approach to leadership, collaboration and ethics. Treating AI agents as colleagues requires not only technical integration but also cultural adaptation. Trust, accountability and fairness – values central to human teams – must extend to these new members. The emerging narrative is not about humans versus AI, but about humans working with AI to create value.

Generative AI is reshaping work and collaboration today. Tomorrow, it will compel us to rethink what it means to contribute, innovate and thrive in a world where the very concept of work may, for some people, become optional. Perhaps we should just ask Generative AI how to figure it out – it’s probably drafting the answer as we speak.

 

Trade

Trumponomics: All systems go, or gridlock?

John Mullins, Associate Professor of Management Practice in Marketing and Entrepreneurship

A topic on many business people’s minds is what effect, if any, Donald Trump’s election and the ‘Trumponomics’ that will follow it will have on the global economy – and local ones – in 2025. A few hunches:

On defence spending in Europe, whether Europeans like it or not, the days when they could count on Uncle Sam to make the tanks, guns, bullets and more to counter the threat that Russia poses are gone. The European defence industry may turn out to be a key cog in the flywheel that could jump-start Europe’s much-needed growth.

With regard to Trump’s threatened tariffs, consider Mexico, for example, which accounts for some 43% of auto parts imported into the US. Slapping big tariffs on those parts, as well as on finished vehicle imports from Mexico, would hit Detroit’s Big Three car-makers hard. Will senators and representatives from Michigan and other car-making states, whose support Trump will need, let that happen? Not a chance. Count on similar resistance in support of jobs in other key US industries.

On the strength of the US dollar, arguments abound on whether it’s likely to strengthen or weaken as a result of Trump’s policies. This one is anybody’s guess, although the idea of ‘weak’ doesn’t sit well with Trump in any context. My bet is that Trump will want the dollar to be ‘strong’.

Then there’s the Trump-Musk bromance. For how long will this pair of outsized egos be able to work together constructively? I’ll wager you won’t need all your fingers and toes to count the number of weeks this relationship will last.

In terms of how the US economy performs vs pretty much every other economy, it’s going to continue to power ahead, leaving Europe and much of the rest of the world in the dust, sad to say.

But does anyone really know how to separate Trump’s electioneering bluster from the reality that will unfold? Will the famed ‘checks and balances’ enshrined in the American governmental system hold in the face of all the handwringing about Project 2025 and more? Some say gridlock will ensue and little will come of most of Trump’s wildest proposals. Hold onto your hats – we’re about to find out!

 

Sustainability

Confronting the realities of sustainability and technology

Ioannis Ioannou, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

The business landscape in 2025 will be a mix of progress and ongoing challenges. Sustainability has become a key topic in boardrooms, but turning it into action remains inconsistent. Some companies will start to see results from long-term commitments to decarbonisation and resource efficiency, but for many, this year will expose a widening gap between promises and reality.

The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, for instance, will increase scrutiny, yet its impact may be muted by patchy implementation and political distractions. For businesses, the real challenge is no longer whether sustainability matters, but how to make it practical and relevant in an environment filled with misinformation and distrust.

Sustainability will thus continue to face hurdles, with pressures coming from geopolitics, resource volatility and shifting social expectations. Companies with global supply chains will still contend with disruptions caused by climate events and geopolitical tensions. Social issues, such as growing inequality and changing workforce expectations, are equally pressing. Companies that overlook diversity, employee wellbeing or their broader community impact will find it harder to retain talent and attract customers.

Those that succeed will take a balanced approach, addressing environmental and social priorities together. Politics, though important, can sometimes become a distraction from the deeper, systemic issues businesses must tackle. Sustainability, in this broader sense, requires focus and determination – qualities that will define the leaders of 2025.