Rushed genAI promises and delayed launches erode trust, exposing how tech giants are prioritizing hype over realistic timelines in a race to beat competitors

Voice assistants fumble the AI revolution: Despite genAI advancements, Big Tech’s assistants face stalled growth and disinterest from older users—Gen Z and parents of Gen Alpha might be their saving grace.

The year of AI: Artificial intelligence invaded all aspects of life in 2024, from work to play and generation to generation. New genAI players appeared to take on megaliths like Google and Meta. It would be a copout to say that 2025 will bring more of the same, but we expect startups to begin taking more market share from Big Tech and challenging the status quo.

We may have been a little too early with some of our predictions—rollouts for Paze and FedNow took longer than we expected

Google, Apple, and Samsung integrated genAI into their flagship devices, but delays and tepid consumer interest signal challenges ahead.

It opened up its ecosystem and seemingly gave up its grand financial services ambitions. But it’s still a major payments player.

Big Tech’s energy shift: Companies like Google and Microsoft are increasingly turning to nuclear energy to meet the escalating power demands of AI, but regulators could stop projects before they start.

A big Google decision is coming in 2025: A judge will rule in April on several DOJ proposals that Google sell Chrome and syndicate its data.

While costly headsets falter, mobile AR is seeing strong momentum. Affordable solutions like Ray-Ban Meta Glasses offer promising pathways for consumer engagement.

New features let users join conversations with AI hosts. Experimental yet groundbreaking, it promises tailored podcasts but risks monotony with limited host variety.

In a bid for influence, tech leaders risk backlash as they align with Trump, aiming to steer antitrust cases and secure growth opportunities

Capturing 88% of search traffic and 65.8% of browser use, Google shapes digital activity, though rising AI competitors and regulatory risks may challenge its supremacy.

With the open-platform Android XR and a more budget-friendly headset, they’re opening the doors to immersive tech for everyone, taking on Apple and Meta’s walled gardens.

AI agents, mobile AI, and smart glasses will lead a wave of advancements, while genAI search and digital twins will redefine business strategies.

The free, ad-supported internet runs on consumer data. But privacy legislation is making it harder for advertisers to take advantage of it.

Claiming anticompetitive behavior, Google asks the FTC to break up the exclusive partnership, arguing that it locks rivals out and entrenches Azure’s dominance.

The Vipps wallet in Norway is the first to use Apple’s NFC tech, opening the floodgates for more to deploy the tech.

Consumer payment method choice will expand in 2025 as real-time “pay by bank,” iPhone NFC access, and digital credentials take center stage. And financial media networks will turn more payment providers into marketers.

AI will become deeply woven into daily life in 2025. Autonomous agents, smart devices, AR glasses, search engines, and digital twins are making AI an ambient presence in how we work, shop, browse, and interact with the world.

By rolling out Review Insights and a conversational assistant, Yelp hopes to enhance usability, tackle review fatigue, and outmaneuver competitors in local search.