IEEE's Top Technology Predictions for 2025

IEEE, along with the IEEE Computer Society, together announced their 2025 Top Technology Predictions. The report contains a forecast of the trends that will have the greatest impact on the global computer engineering industry in 2025.

The Committee evaluated technologies based on the likelihood of commercial or research success in 2025, impact on humanity, maturity, market adoption, and adoption horizon. Based on that evaluation, they scored each technology with a letter grade using a U.S.-based educational evaluation scale, with A serving as excellent, B as average, and C as low potential in the coming year.

Based on the criteria, here are the top 5 computer science and engineering technologies that will have the most significant impact on the global ecosystem, focusing on those with the most advancement, largest market adoption, and market maturity:

1. Leveling of the AI playing field with new forms of Large Language Model (LLM) deployment

As AI continues to grow in accessibility, companies will seek out ways to efficiently leverage LLMs. For instance, open-source communities create ways for developers to efficiently tap into successful models, and cloud services are providing LLM solutions with integrated prompt engineering. Hardware evolution will continue to specifically accommodate for optimal run of LLMs, and model compression will continue. As a result, 2025 will see deployments of Small Language Models and exotic, special-purpose models, transforming industries through more domain-specific and efficient AI applications.

2. Expanding access to drones

In 2025, expect to see Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) redefine logistics, agriculture, and disaster response, offering reliable, low-cost solutions with quick turnarounds. Advancements in technology, including size, weight, and power optimization, battery life, and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) technologies will further boost adoption, making drones more commercially viable and efficient for a variety of industries.

3. Commercial success of AI agents

Building on the success of LLM accessibility, AI agents will combine LLMs, machine learning (ML) models, and rule-based systems to provide autonomous, highly specialized solutions for finance, manufacturing, and retail operations. The coinciding advancement of small language models will lower hardware requirements and enable easier fine-tuning of AI agent solutions, and open-source AI libraries and models will allow for model and data ownership. In addition, cloud solutions with friendly user interfaces and low code approaches will increase the accessibility of these solutions in 2025.

4. More widespread evaluation of AI-enhanced robotics

In 2025, embodied intelligence will enable robots to perceive, learn, and collaborate in dynamic environments, achieving unprecedented autonomy and human-like adaptability. We can expect advancements in research settings, including work on LLMs, multimodal AI, and computer vision; advanced edge computing and 5G/6G networks; next-generation battery technology, wireless charging, and energy storage; integrated sensors with advanced fusion capabilities and real-time analytics to enable enhanced perception and seamless interaction; and robust data integration from the Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time adaptability. At the same time, engineers will continue exploring standardized protocols for robot-to-robot communication to ensure seamless interaction and collaboration.

5. Increased conceptualization of wearables/biomarkers in medicine/wellness

In the coming year, we expect to see wearables make the transition from pure fitness tracking to early concepts of products for medical-grade monitoring of chronic conditions. Devices will have the ability to track biomarkers for early disease detection and proactive wellness, enabled by the identification of low-cost, specific biomarkers. In addition, new ML algorithms and accelerators will be created to perform sophisticated computations, and at the same time, miniaturized electronics will address practical needs, supported by new forms of battery efficiency and integrated circuit technologies.

"The 2025 Technology Predictions offer us an opportunity to really look at where the industry is headed," said Hironori Washizaki, 2025 IEEE Computer Society President. "As the leading computer science and engineering organization, it is imperative that we provide the vision to guide not only our members, but the greater community, towards the future. These predictions enable us to partner with the community to help lead and drive the advancements that will transform the field as we know it."

To download the complete 2025 Technology Predictions Report, visit computer.org.