Tech Trends to Watch in 2025: Cryptocurrencies and AI Set to Transform the Future
Cryptocurrency: A Comeback Story?
By Ben Morris, Technology of Business Editor
The cryptocurrency world faced dark days as 2022 ended. High-profile scandals, such as the collapse of FTX—where $8 billion of customer funds vanished—shook the industry to its core. Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX’s co-founder, was sentenced in March 2024 to 25 years in prison for defrauding investors, deepening skepticism about the sector.
By 2023, it seemed cryptocurrencies were destined to remain a niche interest. Then, November 2024 happened.
Donald Trump’s presidential election victory has injected fresh optimism into the crypto market. Industry insiders expect Trump’s administration to take a more favorable stance on digital currencies. A major signal of this shift came when Trump announced plans to nominate Paul Atkins, a known cryptocurrency advocate, as chairman of the SEC.
This move sent Bitcoin soaring past $100,000. Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered, believes Trump’s presidency could lead to “proactive regulation” that attracts institutional players and positions the U.S. as a global cryptocurrency hub. Such developments would mark a stark turnaround from Trump’s 2021 critique of Bitcoin as a “scam.”
AI Goes Personal: But How Much is Too Much?
By Zoe Kleinman, Technology Editor
Artificial intelligence is becoming a deeply personal part of our lives. From photo editing to real-time translations and search assistance, AI-powered tools are now ubiquitous on smartphones. Yet, their growing influence raises important questions about privacy and trust.
Imagine an AI that manages your schedule seamlessly, learns your habits, and even helps with sensitive tasks like summarizing therapy sessions or medical appointments. But how comfortable are we with giving AI access to such intimate details?
Tech companies like Microsoft are pushing boundaries. Its experimental “Recall” tool, which captured frequent screenshots of users’ desktops, stirred controversy in 2024. Though the project was shelved, it highlighted the tension between functionality and privacy concerns.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, predicts more personalized AI services will emerge by 2025. These systems will adapt to individual preferences by analyzing emails, messages, and social interactions. However, Wood cautions that widespread adoption hinges on one critical factor: trust.
Data Centers: Powering the AI Revolution
By Ben Morris, Technology of Business Editor
AI’s growing capabilities come at a cost—an immense demand for computing power. Over the next five years, global investment in data centers could reach $1 trillion, fueled by tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
But rising property costs and limited power supplies in traditional tech hubs like London and Frankfurt mean the next wave of data centers will likely emerge in less conventional locations. Cities like Cambridge, Manchester, and Birmingham in the UK, as well as Prague, Munich, and Genoa in Europe, are strong contenders for hosting these cutting-edge facilities.
Central to these new centers will be Nvidia’s Blackwell chip, a groundbreaking processor unveiled in 2024. This chip promises to revolutionize AI, enabling training speeds four times faster and operational speeds up to 30 times greater than its predecessors. While Nvidia’s major clients like Microsoft and Amazon are first in line, supply constraints may leave smaller players waiting.
As 2025 unfolds, cryptocurrencies, personal AI, and data infrastructure are poised to reshape the technological landscape. The opportunities are vast, but so are the challenges. Will these trends deliver on their promise? Only time will tell.
