After an eventful year, we think it's time to look back on some of our 2025 predictions to see how they landed.

We had some big ideas for how this year would unfold, including ongoing antitrust cases against Google, and the rapid advancement of large language models (LLMs), and generative AI upgrades to every area of the marketer’s stack.

Let's find out how we did.

Prediction: Marketers will tie AI to their brand purpose

Last year, it seemed like brands would embrace AI “transparency” in an effort to lean into new tools while strengthening brand trust. As brands like Dove announced a policy to never use AI in place of people, it seemed like momentum was building for brands to publicize ethics codes and statements to smooth the way for their AI use.

The most recent holiday season suggests there’s still progress to be made. Coca-Cola doubled down on last year’s AI experiment to more mixed reviews. McDonald’s got cold feet and pulled an AI-generated Christmas ad from its Netherlands YouTube channel.

The important thing, according to brands, is that they keep trying and “learning,” as McDonald’s characterized their misstep to BBC News. And while brands continue to search for the best AI-enhanced recipe to wow fans in public-facing campaigns, nothing has stopped them using AI in more customer service ways with genAI assistants.

Though some brands have shown caution with using AI, a widespread movement of transparency has yet to materialize.

Outcome: Correct enough

Prediction: AI will threaten email marketing

Email continues to be a vital channel to reach customers. It’s expected to continue to grow through 2027, according to an EMARKETER forecast. Since genAI tools can help generate copy for emails and scale up email campaigns. But more emails aren’t necessarily the answer if customers’ inboxes are already flooded. We predicted that the increased frequency of emails, propelled by AI creation and automation tools, would shake the foundations of email marketing.

On the heels of Google's bulk email policy changes in 2024, email marketers faced a new challenge this summer, when the tech giant made it easier for Gmail users to monitor subscriptions and unsubscribe en masse through its “Manage subscriptions” feature.

As Google’s filtering technology is backed by a specially-trained LLM, AI is the “threat.” Or it’s helping save email marketers from their worst AI-powered impulses, and making life easier for customers in the process.

Outcome: Correct enough

Prediction: Browser wars will kick off in earnest

As AI platforms exhibited browser ambitions and the tech world awaited whether Google would have to sell Chrome, we predicted that the internet browser environment would be shaken from the competition.

This September, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled against a forced sale of Chrome.

As of October 2025, Chrome maintains 73.2% of worldwide web browser market share, according to StatCounter.

Meanwhile, OpenAI has released ChatGPT Atlas, and the new generation of genAI browsers is in full swing. Early adopters are comparing the virtues of Atlas versus The Browser Company's AI-powered Dia, of Perplexity’s Comet versus Opera, and of these free-standing browsers versus Chrome extensions, like the one for Anthropic’s Claude.

Behind Chrome’s present dominance is a glimpse into the future of AI-powered browsing, and sides are being drawn for the next browser war.

Outcome: Early but accurate

This was originally featured in the EMARKETER Daily newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.