Staying ahead of technological trends and preparing organizations for the future is a perpetual challenge for CIOs (Chief Information Officers). Operational demands often consume the lion’s share of time and resources, while technology evolves at a breakneck pace. Many innovations don’t even reach maturity or widespread adoption before newer concepts dominate the conversation.

Technologies like Quantum Computing, 5G expansion, Virtual and Augmented Reality, IoT, and autonomous vehicles are among the 25 transformative innovations identified by the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva as poised to reshape industries, workplaces, and daily life by 2025. Gartner adds to this list with trends such as post-quantum encryption, AI governance platforms, and Spatial Computing.

Amid this wave of innovation, one critical question emerges: which technologies will have the most profound impact on the business landscape in the years ahead? To close out the year, we’ve compiled a summary of the most relevant technological trends shaping the future.

 

Quantum Computing

 

According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), quantum computing has the potential to deliver computational power a trillion times greater than today’s most advanced supercomputers. This transformative technology promises to revolutionize industries by enabling data processing at unprecedented speeds, driving critical breakthroughs in areas such as climate modeling, drug discovery, and advanced encryption systems. A recent IEEE survey reveals that 44% of companies globally expect to adopt quantum technology within the next three years. While its potential is immense, quantum computing also introduces significant risks that cannot be ignored.

One of the most pressing concerns is the looming threat of “Q-Day”—the point when quantum computers will be capable of breaking today’s conventional cryptography. This development could render current security protocols obsolete, exposing critical infrastructures like energy grids and healthcare systems to heightened cyber risks. Consequently, robust national and international defense strategies are becoming paramount.

 

 

To address these challenges, Gartner identifies Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) as a critical technology trend for 2025. PQC encompasses cryptographic methods designed to withstand the unique threats posed by quantum computing. For instance, if quantum computers become powerful enough to bypass current encryption standards, PQC algorithms could secure sensitive communications, such as encrypted emails, ensuring that even if data is intercepted, it remains undecipherable.

How is Quantum Computing in Romania? It is making notable strides in this field. Institutions such as the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca are already offering specialized programs to develop local expertise. Additionally, in July 2024, the Ministry of Digitalization launched the National Strategy for Quantum Technologies for 2024–2029. This initiative focuses on building quantum communication infrastructure, establishing research centers and testing platforms, developing software applications for quantum processors, and investing in the training of specialists to drive adoption and innovation in this space.

 

ECO Technologies

 

Sustainability is increasingly influencing IT budgets, driving a shift toward cloud services powered by renewable energy, recyclable materials for equipment, and carbon capture solutions. This momentum is fueled by the growing environmental consciousness of younger generations and reinforced by European directives focused on enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprints.

According to Gartner, energy-efficient computing is set to gain significant traction. This trend emphasizes designing and operating computers, data centers, and digital systems to minimize energy consumption and carbon emissions. Gartner also forecasts the rise of smart office buildings, where IoT sensors monitor occupancy and dynamically adjust lighting, HVAC systems, and equipment usage in real time to align with actual needs. These advancements not only deliver substantial cost savings but also contribute to lower carbon emissions.

 

 

Another area of focus is the growing investment in real-time sustainability telemetry. The Cisco Global Networking Trends 2024 report identifies limited visibility into energy consumption and emissions as a key barrier to achieving sustainable transformation in organizations. To address this, Cisco anticipates greater investment in network-driven sustainability solutions that leverage features such as selective low-power modes, demand prediction, and energy-efficient protocols.

The European Union sets a benchmark for best practices in sustainability with initiatives like the European Green Digital Coalition (EGDC), launched in 2021. Comprised of over 30 IT&C companies, the coalition focuses on developing green digital technologies and services in partnership with European governments, alongside creating tools and methodologies to measure the environmental impact of digital technologies.

Cisco, a member of the EGDC, exemplifies this commitment with its Carbon Emissions Insights feature in Webex Control Hub. This functionality enables organizations to estimate energy consumption and CO2e emissions from Cisco devices, monitor sustainability progress, and optimize energy use through office hour management capabilities. Additionally, Carbon Emissions Insights allows data to be exported via API for seamless integration into clients’ sustainability reporting tools.

By leveraging such innovations, Cisco is advancing toward its ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2040 and adopting circular design principles for all new products and packaging by 2025.

 

Democratizing Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an integral part of the modern workplace, accelerating decision-making processes and unlocking creativity through intuitive and seamless solutions. As AI technology advances, more companies are developing bespoke AI models tailored to their unique needs, enabling higher precision, enhanced data management, and the ability to harness AI across various functions. This shift is driving operational efficiency and empowering departments to achieve greater impact.

 

 

For exempla, this October, Webex introduced an innovative suite of AI agents, poised to redefine collaboration, communication, and contact center operations. Among these advancements is the AI Agent Studio, a powerful design tool that allows business users and IT administrators to create and deploy AI agents with unparalleled ease and scalability. With AI Agent Studio, organizations can launch a fully functional voice or digital AI agent in just minutes and customize the underlying AI models to address specific customer needs. These agents streamline operations by reducing contact center call volumes, enabling human agents to focus on high-value interactions requiring empathy or creative problem-solving. The Webex AI Agent and AI Agent Studio will be available to cloud customers in Q1 2025, with on-premises availability planned for the second half of the year.

According to Gartner, the growing adoption of AI agents will fuel advancements in AI governance and technologies designed to combat misinformation. By 2028, 50% of organizations are expected to integrate cybersecurity products, services, or features specifically aimed at countering misinformation—up from less than 5% in 2024. Furthermore, Gartner projects that organizations leveraging AI governance platforms will experience a 30% increase in customer trust and a 25% improvement in regulatory compliance, outperforming competitors that lack these capabilities.

 

AI is Transforming Cybersecurity

 

In the cybersecurity landscape, the Cisco Global Networking Trends 2024 report highlights that 51% of organizations plan to deploy AI-powered endpoint recognition and policy management tools between 2024 and 2025. These tools enable proactive identification and resolution of performance and security issues, delivering greater operational efficiency. Additionally, 54% of respondents aim to adopt AI-driven SASE cloud architectures within the same timeframe, reflecting the growing demand for secure, scalable connectivity solutions.

Looking ahead to 2025, AI-augmented threat detection is expected to play a pivotal role, according to Forbes analysts. These capabilities will allow organizations to identify threats before they cause harm, accelerate incident response times, and significantly reduce reliance on manual processes.

As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated, Artificial Intelligence has emerged as a critical enabler for modern cybersecurity. AI facilitates early anomaly detection, real-time identification of malicious activities, and rapid, automated response mechanisms.

Cisco is already at the forefront of this evolution. The Cisco AI Assistant for Security, powered by Generative AI (GenAI), streamlines security team workflows, while Cisco XDR enhances threat detection by correlating data across email, web, endpoints, and network layers to identify attacks in real time. Moreover, Cisco embeds automation into every layer of its AI-driven security portfolio—from recommending configuration fixes to automating ransomware recovery processes—empowering organizations to stay ahead of emerging threats.

 

The Expansion of Edge Computing and Edge AI

 

By 2025, Gartner projects that 75% of enterprise data will be processed outside traditional data centers and the cloud. The ongoing adoption of Edge Computing is being driven by the increasing number of IoT devices and the growing need for real-time data analytics. Processing data closer to its source is especially beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that depend on real-time information, particularly in sectors such as retail and manufacturing. This technology reduces latency, optimizes bandwidth usage, and ensures faster, more efficient applications, enabling businesses to make rapid decisions—whether it’s restocking inventory or adjusting production schedules.

Edge AI, meanwhile, allows AI algorithms and models to run directly on local devices, such as sensors or IoT devices, enabling real-time data processing and analysis without constant reliance on cloud infrastructure. For example, IoT sensors on manufacturing equipment can generate data that is immediately analyzed by Edge AI systems to predict equipment failures. This facilitates preventive maintenance, minimizes downtime, and enhances productivity. In retail, some businesses are leveraging edge computing to track foot traffic in real-time and dynamically adjust in-store marketing or promotions based on peak traffic times.

The growth of Edge Computing is further accelerated by the rollout of 5G technology, which is revolutionizing connectivity by delivering higher speeds, lower latency, and more efficient interconnectivity between devices. According to GSMA, there will be 1.2 billion 5G connections worldwide by 2025, significantly boosting the expansion of Edge computing.

 

Conclusions

 

The pace of innovation is accelerating to such an extent that many organizations will face significant challenges in keeping up. These challenges often stem from skill shortages, limited human resources, or inadequate budgets, even for those who are early adopters of new technologies. A common obstacle is outdated IT infrastructure, which frequently fails to support the demands of innovation. As mentioned in a previous article, while 89% of IT professionals surveyed by Cisco plan to deploy AI-based applications within the next two years, only 14% have the infrastructure ready to support them. As a result, a proactive, long-term strategy is essential: organizations must prepare their networking, computing, and storage infrastructure for a future that will be increasingly defined by Artificial Intelligence.