Few years have witnessed such rapid technological and social transformation. As we stand at the intersection of AI, changing workplace dynamics, geopolitical strife, and evolving cultural norms, this special issue examines the moments that defined 2024, and offers insights into what lies ahead.

GAME-CHANGING TECH:

#1- BREAKTHROUGH AI: Despite a bumpy year filled with illegal challenges at the start of the year with former co-founder Elon Musk, the US’ SEC, and several newspapers, OpenAI strengthened its place as the most valuable name in artificial intelligence with the introduction of severalinterfaces and models, as well as achieving funding milestones. The growing tech giant first gathered funding in February that tripled OpenAI‘s valuation, bringing it to USD 80 bn, and burning through almost USD 10 bn.

The AI player partnered up with Apple in June to include ChatGPT into Apple’s ecosystem — through Siri for example — making the AI-Assistant widely accessible to mns of iPhone users. In October, OpenAI raised a USD 6.6 bn funding round — the biggest funding round in Silicon Valley’s history — bringing the artificial intelligence player’s valuation to USD 157 bn. The company introduced ChatGPT Search and Sora to cap the year off.

Google Deepmind also saw a successful year by introducing AI solutions to solve complex scientific and technological challenges. Google research scientists’ Sir Demis Hassabis and John Jumper were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking work in uncovering biological secrets of proteins that may prove fundamental to our health.

Google also introduced an experimental AI model designed to enhance reasoning capabilities by explicitly outlining its thought processes. Google is stepping up its AI game with Mariner, a prototype AI agent built on its newly upgraded Gemini 2.0 framework. Mariner is designed to handle web-based tasks autonomously, like research, booking, and shopping — in other words, to become your online personal assistant.

Other AI advancements across industries: Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is a healthcare process that uses digital technologies and AI to collect and transmit patient health data from home to healthcare providers, enabling continuous monitoring and timely interventions. The monitoring tool industry has been significantly growing, and is expected to go up by USD 6 bn by 2025, to treat and monitor patients.

#2- CONSUMER TECH: Smart glasses have become the new trend in wearable tech. The different gadgets you can wear on your face vary from augmented reality (AR) to live-streaming cameras to voice assistant-equipped headphones.

Apple’s Vision Pro: In January, Apple launched the Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, six months after its first announcement last year. The headset blends virtual reality (VR) with augmented reality (AR) to enhance gaming, productivity, entertainment, and communication experiences.

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses: The update to the Meta x Ray-Ban smart glasses series has made waves. The second generation of the Ray-Ban Meta is unique for its AR capabilities, integrated display, voice control, speakers and microphones features.

But Orion was introduced as a bid to make smartphones a thing of the past. The glasses, which contain both VR and AI assistance, look nothing like the clunky offerings we’ve seen before. The glasses are controlled through a combo of eye tracking, hand gestures, voice commands, and a neural wristband that interprets brain signals triggered by your hand motion into actions. What you’ll find in Orion are the same GenAI capabilities currently available in Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, but with an added visual element. The industry hasn’t quite caught up with Zuck’s vision just yet, so we won’t be grabbing a pair anytime soon.

Micro LED TVs are the next big thing in television technology for TV manufacturers. They provide transmissive pixels and infinite contrast without sacrificing brightness levels and deep blacks — thanks to its clusters of micrometer-scale LEDs technology, transferred onto larger LED modules. LG launched the LG Magnit micro-LED TV last year, and this year, Samsung unveiled the Micro LED TV. But with price tags of upwards of USD 90k the electronics cater explicitly to “luxury clients”.

#3- WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2025: It is forecasted that 25% of enterprises that utilize GenerativeAI (GenAI) will deploy AI agents by 2025 — the figure is expected to rise to 50% by 2027. In the legal sector, AI is forecasted to become a decision-making partner rather than a supportive tool — it will manage tasks like compliance monitoring and preliminary dispute resolution. Self-driving robotaxies are even in the books, and are expected to become the mainstream news in 2025, revolutionizing the transportation field. Even dating app founders are shifting towards AI to face backlash and revive ‘exhausted’ users.

AI system spendings: AI models are getting smarter. Organizations are creating new, more challenging evaluations to assess AI capabilities accurately to keep us productive — and safe. The AI sector’s four giants are also expected to spend up to USD quarter tn predominantly towards AI infrastructure next year. AI will also transform the productivity and GDP potential of the global economy, especially in China and North America.

WORK TRENDS

#1- INDUSTRY EVOLUTION- The employment landscape in 2024 has been marked by significant shifts in how we work and what roles are in demand. Data analytics and digital marketing positions have seen remarkable growth, particularly roles focusing on consumer behavior analysis — the demand for which increased by 383% — and personalized marketing strategies. Healthcare technology specialists and sustainability consultants have also emerged as highly sought after professionals, reflecting broader societal priorities.

Remote work has matured from a pandemic necessity to a strategic advantage. Companies have refined their hybrid models, adopting those that allow teams to strike a balance between in-person and remote work. This evolution has been supported by improved digital collaboration tools and more sophisticated management practices.

The great resignation has notably cooled in 2024. Economic uncertainty and inflation concerns have led workers to prioritize stability over job-hopping. Companies have responded by enhancing retention strategies, focusing on internal mobility and skill development rather than external hiring.

Social media’s influence on employment has deepened, with not LinkedIn, but TikTok becoming central to professional branding and job searching. CareerTok has become a force to be reckoned with, with workplace influencers shaping expectations around work culture and career development. Companies are increasingly investing in their social media presence to attract talent and showcase their workplace culture.

#2- AGENTS OF CHANGE: GenAI has become a widely adapted addition to many workflows — officially or unofficially —, fundamentally changing how work is performed acrossvariousfields. Companies are no longer asking whether or not to adopt AI, but how to implement it effectively. This has led to the emergence of new roles focused on AI integration and oversight, with some roles being redefined to incorporate AI-enhanced productivity tools.

But don’t pivot careers to jump on the latest trend just yet — GenAI jobs made up only 0.2% of all job postings this past year. “Traditional professions [are] growing and evolving,” said career trend expert Jennifer Herrity, “but not being replaced by technology. Instead, they’re incorporating new tools while maintaining their core focus on human expertise.”

But this doesn’t apply to tech careers. Silicon Valley has been slashing jobs left and right since OpenAI’s debut of ChatGPT, and Crunchbase News estimates that as of 4Q2024, over 100k jobs were lost.

#3- WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2025: As we look ahead, several key trends seem more likely to shape the workplace in 2025 more than others. While AI-related restructuring will likely continue, it may manifest more as role evolution rather than wholesale layoffs.

Why? Because soft skills are king. “Communication remains the single most requested skill,” said career trend expert Jennifer Herrity. “While technical abilities matter, employers are seeking candidates who can effectively communicate and collaborate” — traits that are not exactly AI chatbots’ strong suit.

AI aptitude? Don’t worry about it. A report by Indeed-backed Hiring Lab showed that employers were more worried about their new hires having basic computer skills than maneuvering their way around an AI chatbot.

That being said, the implementation of AI within industries will likely become more sophisticated and specialized. We will likely be seeing the emergence of industry-specific AI tools, moving beyond the reigning one-size-fits-all approach. Training and reskilling programs will become more targeted, focusing on helping employees effectively collaborate with AI systems.

The workplace of 2025 will likely be characterized by increased personalization — both in how work is done and in how careers are developed. Technology will enable more customized work arrangements, while skills-based hiring and non-traditional career paths will become more commonplace.

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS

#1- MEDICAL ADVANCES: Many mRNA vaccines have made it to clinical trials, and this year, a couple have obtained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — including the updated mRNA Covid-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

There have been recent approvals by the FDA of drugs designed to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and have shown potential in disease-modifying effects on Alzheimer patients. The long-term efficacy and safety of these drugs still need further validation. Up until recently, all the medications developed offered only symptomatic relief, and are often accompanied by undesirable side effects.

We have also been seeing major milestones in xenotransplantation, which is the practice of transplanting organs or tissues between different species. In March, surgeons at the Massachusetts General Hospital performed the world’s first successful xenotransplant on a 62-year-old man with end-stage kidney disease, who received a kidney transplant from a genetically-edited pig. Although the man died later in May, the hospital said there was no indication that the cause of death was the kidney transplant.

The NYU Langone Health academic medical center also performed the first ever combined mechanical heart pump and genetically-edited pig kidney transplant on a 54-year-old woman with heart and kidney failure. However, the woman died three months later, for undisclosed reasons.

#2- SPACE EXPLORATION

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made several discoveries this year using innovative technology, including discovering the most distant known galaxy. They obtained a spectrum of a record-breaking galaxy observed “only” 290 mn years after the big bang.

The Webb observatory also found the first actively forming galaxy as lightweight as young as our Milky Way. They detected and “weighed” a galaxy that not only existed around 600 mn years after the big bang, but is also similar to our Milky Way galaxy’s mass, indicating that it might be at the same stage of development.

New discoveries about the Great Red Spot: A team of astronomers also used the JWST to look into the heart of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot (GRS) — the largest long-lived storm in the solar system that the Earth could fit inside — and found that it is moving more unexpectedly than it was understood before. The GRS new discoveries are important for providing insight into Jupiter’s atmosphere, which gives insights into the atmospheric processes of other planets — including Earth — by offering comparative data on storm formation, stability, and longevity.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company broke its own record for most launches in a single year. It completed this year the third, fourth and fifth test flights for its Starship spacecraft — a two-stage fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle. First-time achievements were made during the flights, among which are an orbital velocity achievement, a successful soft splashdown, and a first stage recovery.

#3- PREDICTIONS FOR 2025: More advancements in cancer and Alzheimer treatments, thanks to AI. AI algorithms are expected to accelerate the development of personalized treatments, which will potentially transform approaches to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s and bring a wave of new drugs nears regulatory approval in 2025.

We might see advancements to reach a clean and limitless source of zero-carbon energy production in 2025, derived from fusion-based power plants. S&P Global said that the fusion energy industry is seeking to reach significant milestones by demonstrating commercially relevant net energy from fusion.

More private companies in space: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shared a draft environmental assessment (EA) of Starship operations at Starbase, allowing SpaceX to increase the number of annual Starship launches from the currently allowed 5 to 25 launches. The launches will divest in Lunar and Martian explorations, and may open the door for more private exploration of space.

CULTURAL MOMENTS

#1- ENTERTAINMENT: 2024 saw significant shifts in entertainment consumption patterns. The film industry marked a notable interest in international cinema and small studio productions as Hollywood focused on remakes, while streaming platforms continued their march towards higher subscriptions and more ads.

The 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes reshaped the film industry in ways that are still reverberating, chiefly under the threat of AI to actors’ likenesses and writers’ livelihoods. But emerging talents continue to illuminate the field, bringing new ideals to an aging industry.

The machine continued to battle superhero fatigue, with Deadpool & Wolverine’s positive reception proving that the MCU still has goodwill to spare with its audiences as long as they deliver quality over quantity. The DCEU wasn’t as lucky with the controversial Joker: Folie à Deux, with fans widely disapproving of director Todd Phillips’ vision for Batman’s nemesis.

For the first time, user-generated content surpassed traditional media, with YouTube topping TV viewership by capturing the attention of almost 10% of all audiences, leaving all other streaming platforms to share the remaining percentage. Traditionally, entertainment was a one-way street — professional creators produced content, and audiences consumed it. The rise of social media and accessible creation tools has democratized entertainment. 16% of teens used YouTube “almost constantly” a Pew Research Center survey showed, with 17% saying the same of TikTok.

#2- DIGITAL CULTURE: The role of social media in shaping cultural discourse continued to evolve in 2024. Social media — primarily TikTok — solidified its position not just as an entertainment platform, but as a legitimate news source for younger generations, especially for information on and advocacy for Palestine. TikTok has also become a replacement for online searches, with people even turning to it to take care of their travel itineraries.

The rise of AI-assisted content creation — from pictures to videos and music to idea generation — has sparked both excitement and healthy skepticism. As creators embrace these new tools, questions have been raised about the future of artistic integrity. The conversation moved beyond simple concerns about automation to more nuanced discussions about how AI can complement human creativity rather than replace it.

#3- WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2025: Entertainment as we currently consume it will be ever-shifting. As more viewers turn to content creation, garnering views could become more competitive. The democratization of content creation may mean that lines between viewer and creator will continue to blur, with content creators becoming more audience-responsive and hyper-targeted, letting their viewers dictate and shape the content they consume.

Social media appears poised for a larger shift, with users showing increasing interest in platforms that offer greater control over their digital presence. While established platforms aren’t going anywhere, we might see a gradual migration toward more decentralized alternatives that prioritize user privacy and data ownership.

LOOKING FORWARD

#1- TRENDS TO WATCH: The technological landscape in 2025 is poised for significant developments across several key areas. Quantum computing is approaching important milestones, with major companies and research institutions making strides in error correction and qubit stability. While a fully functional quantum computer remains years away, 2025 may see the first practical applications in specific fields like materials science and cryptography.

Brain-computer interface technology continues to evolve, with companies like Neuralink and Synchron advancing their clinical trials. While consumer applications remain distant, medical applications for treating neurological conditions are showing promise. The field faces crucial tests in 2025 as early results from human trials become available.

Autonomous vehicle deployment is entering a new phase, with several cities expanding their autonomous taxi services. However, the focus has shifted from full autonomy to more practical applications in controlled environments like highways and dedicated lanes. The industry is moving toward a more measured, incremental approach to automation.

#2- CHALLENGES AHEAD: AI governance stands as one of the most pressing challenges for 2025. The rapid development of genAI has outpaced regulatory frameworks, creating urgent needs for international standards and oversight mechanisms. Key issues include model transparency, content attribution, and managing the environmental impact of LLMs.

Climate adaptation has become increasingly critical as extreme weather events affect global supply chains and infrastructure. Businesses are facing pressure to not only reduce emissions, but also develop resilience against climate-related disruptions. The insurance industry particularly faces challenges in adjusting to new climate realities.

The AI pollution of the internet poses growing concerns for information integrity. The proliferation of AI-generated content is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish authentic human-created content from synthetic ones. This challenges search engines, educational institutions, and content platforms to develop new verification methods.

#3- PREDICTIONS AND LOOSE ENDS: Several ongoing situations may reach critical turning points in 2025. Global supply chains continue their restructuring in response to geopolitical tensions and nearshoring trends. Cryptocurrency markets face a crucial test as regulatory frameworks mature and institutional adoption reaches a decisive phase.

Technological sector employment may stabilize after several years of volatility, with AI integration becoming more standardized and predictable. However, skill requirements continue to evolve rapidly, emphasizing the need for continuous workforce adaptation.

In the wider geopolitical sphere, ongoing conflicts and tensions will likely continue to influence economic policies and business strategies. Key impact areas will be global supply chains, technology and security, and business resource management.

The space industry will enter an interesting phase, with private space stations beginning construction and lunar mission preparations advancing. Commercial space activities are expected to expand, though questions about space debris management and resource rights remain unresolved.

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