How AI will amplify these other tech trends that are most important to business in 2025

Important points of ZDNET

• AI agents are the most important technology for businesses in 2025.
• AI stands out not only as a wave of powerful technology in itself, but also as a foundational amplifier for other trends.
• Autonomous systems, including physical robots and digital AI agents, are moving from pilot projects to real-world applications.

Which frontier technology is most important for businesses in 2025? According to McKinsey Research, there are 13 new frontier technologies that are most important for businesses, including Agent AI.

Also: How AI agents will generate $450 billion by 2028 and what gets in the way

Research from other industry analyst companies examines the economic impact of AI, including a $450 billion market related to agent AI by 2028. This year's technology development highlights a future in which technology is more adaptable, collaborative and essential to solving global problems.

McKinsey saw this in a variety of areas, ranging from the increased prevalence of robotics and autonomous systems to the critical needs of responsible AI innovation. McKinsey has identified a set of themes that capture the impact of these frontier technologies, including:

• The rise of autonomous systems – Autonomous systems, including physical robots and digital agents, are moving from pilot projects to real applications. Today, AI AI agents are able to build businesses like stealth aircraft.
• New Human -Machine collaboration model – Human machine interactions enter a new phase defined by more natural interfaces, multimodal inputs, and adaptive intelligence.
• Scaling challenges – The burgeoning demand for computationally intensive workloads, particularly from Gen AI, robotics and immersive environments, is creating new demand for global infrastructure.
• Regional and national competition – Global competition for critical technologies is intensifying. The country and businesses have doubled funding technology initiatives such as sovereign infrastructure, localized chip manufacturing, and quantum labs.
• Scale and specialization are growing simultaneously – The growth of these vectors is possible through cloud services and advanced connectivity innovations.
• Responsible Innovation Order – As technology becomes more powerful and personal, trust becomes more and more adopted gatekeeper.

13 Frontier Technology Trends

1. Agent AI – Agent AI is an artificial intelligence system that allows you to independently plan and execute complex, multi-stage tasks. Based on the underlying model, these agents can autonomously execute actions, communicate with each other, and adapt to new information. Great progress has emerged, from general agent platforms to professional agents designed for deep research. Companies like Salesforce have already made more than 1 million AI conversations with agent AI, with 2025 incredible business results.
2. artificial intelligence – Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that are usually designed to perform tasks that require human intelligence. These systems leverage algorithms, data, and computing power to recognize patterns, make decisions, and learn from experience. Mulesoft's research examines the importance of AI as a key digital transformation trend in 2025.
3. Application-specific semiconductors – Application-specific semiconductors are dedicated chips optimized to perform special tasks. Unlike general purpose semiconductors, they are designed to handle specific workloads (such as large-scale AI training and inference tasks) while optimizing performance characteristics, such as providing superior speed, energy efficiency and performance.
4. Advanced Connectivity -Advanced Connectivity covers a range of evolving technologies that enhance and expand your digital communications network. This includes wireless low-power networks, 5G and new 6G cellular systems, Wi-Fi 6 and 7 standards, and low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.
5. Cloud and Edge Computing – Cloud and Edge computing involves distributing workloads across locations, from hyperscale remote data centers to regional hubs and local nodes. This approach optimizes performance by addressing factors such as latency, data transfer costs, data sovereignty, and data security.
6. Immersive reality technology – Immersive and realistic technologies include augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), including AR smart glasses, advanced haptic feedback, and AI-powered enhancements to improve rendering, tracking, and processing capabilities.
7. Digital Trust and Cyber Security – Digital Trust and Cybersecurity cover the technologies and practices designed to ensure safe, transparent and reliable digital interaction. This includes identity verification, data protection, encryption, threat detection, and blockchain-based trust systems.
8. Quantum Technology – Quantum-based technology Use the unique properties of quantum mechanics to perform exponentially specific complex calculations than classical computers. A secure communications network. It also produces sensors with a higher sensitivity level than the classic counterparts.
9. The Future of Robotics – The future of robotics covers advances in robotics that can perform tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously, and adapts to new real-life inputs associated with increased autonomy and dexterity, including autonomous mobile robots and humanoid robots.
10. The Future of Mobility-mOil-based technologies include self-driving cars, electric vehicles, drones, urban air movement solutions (such as electric vertical takeoff air and landing aircraft), and micromobility (such as e-scooters and e-bikes). These technologies are intended to improve the efficiency, safety and sustainability of transportation systems.
11. The Future of Bioengineering – Bioengineering is the application of engineering principles to biology, which utilizes technological advances (e.g. gene editing and synthetic biology) to improve health and human performance, transform food value chains, and create innovative products.
12. The future of space technology – Space Technology covers exploration missions such as satellite systems, launch vehicles, residential modules, and Leo satellite constellations, direct connectivity that integrates terrestrial networks and space assets, and Earth observation.
13. The future of energy and sustainability technology – Energy and Sustainability Technologies cover a wide range of innovations aimed at transforming the global energy environment into a more sustainable and resilient future. This includes the spectrum of technologies that transform the global energy value chain. It focuses on clean electrons, electrification and clean molecules.

Also, conversations from one million customers with AI agents have brought this incredible lesson

The healthiest company of the future is an independent company. Local businesses leverage hybrid workforces and employ AI-first strategies and digital labor to expand speed, scale and intelligence. When done correctly, AI agents unlock unprecedented opportunities for value creation with nonlinear positive effects that can only be realized through autonomous AI agents.

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