Accelerating Change, The Tech Revolution of 2024 and What’s Next for 2025
Introduction:
As we close out 2024, it can be stated that this year has been a significant one in the field of technology. With game-changing advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and sustainable technologies, technology has advanced to new levels, revolutionizing business and disrupting traditional ways of working. It is safe to say that things are moving at such a fast rate that even the so-called experts are having a hard time catching up, with things that were once thought to be science fiction being developed and launched into space in the present age. When viewing the horizon of 2025, it is crucial to have hope and concern. The advancements of the current world are setting the stage for the future but at the same time, raises new concerns which need consideration. Come with me and let me share with you the most significant trends of the year 2024 and give my insight into what is expected to happen in the world of technology, business, and beyond.
1. Cybersecurity: A Year of Advancements, Challenges and Lessons
Advancements
In 2024, there was a growth in cybersecurity with the integration of multi-layered, 360-degree security strategies including the use of Extended Detection and Response (XDR). There was a increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify threats, manage the surge of attacks automatically and even make predictions in real-time. The innovations that were made in the field of cybersecurity assisted organizations to deal with cyber threats more effectively and efficiently. In fact, global cybersecurity solutions prevented more than 6. 5 billion attacks in 2024, and 50% of those attacks were prevented by AI before they even entered organizations’ networks (Cybersecurity Ventures). The use of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools and the analysis of network traffic as intelligent made the organizations able to monitor and secure their networks in real time, thus preventing breaches. Also, the use of the advanced behavioral biometrics along with the intelligent access controls helped in providing enhanced user authentication and thus prevent identity theft and phishing attacks. This integration of the new age tools and overall security approach helped in developing a stronger and more flexible shield against the most advanced level of cyber threats.
Challenges
Despite these advancements, 2024 also marked the year with many challenges in the cybersecurity arena. Ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) and AI-enabled phishing became more sophisticated, which made it easier for even less-skilled attackers to carry out large-scale cyberattacks. Healthcare and financial industries were impacted with data breaches that affected millions of individuals, demonstrating how easy it is to compromise high-risk sectors. According to the World Economic Forum (Bloomberg), global cybercrime costs reached $9.5 trillion in 2024, surpassing the combined GDPs of all countries except the United States and China, making it the third-largest global economy. Also, the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals exacerbated the problem, with the skills gap growing to over 4.8 million unfilled positions in 2024, making it difficult for organizations to keep up with the pace of cyber threats. As a result, the need for a more proactive, well-resourced cybersecurity workforce, combined with automation has never been more critical.
Lessons Learned
Based on the trends seen in 2024, it is crucial to develop security culture that includes technology, expertise and proactive approach. Although, multi-layered security measures have been greatly successful in preventing threats, the sustainability of this success depends on the organization’s ability to constantly update and improve on the defense mechanisms to suit the latest threats. In the years to come particularly in 2025, organizations should also sustain their investment on AI-based solutions and apply them together with the expertise of humans in order to deal with the increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. In addition, the development of cybersecurity talent base and new technologies in the area of automated incident response and real-time threat detection will further bolster in managing future threats. With continued advancements in technology and a stronger focus on resilience, the future of cybersecurity looks promising, but organizations must remain cautious and adaptable in the face of evolving threats.
Industry Impact
Even though 2024 has shown some great developments in the area of cybersecurity, it also opened the eyes on some of the challenges that are still present in the form of high profile data breaches that exposed the increasing complexity of cyber criminals. The most significant of these was the cyber intrusion that occurred at UnitedHealth Group’s subsidiary, Change Healthcare, which included the personal details of 100 million people and affected claims processing across the United States. The breach which was caused by the hacking group ALPHV also known as “BlackCat” showed how the healthcare sector is still at risk of getting hacked. Likewise, Ticketmaster was also hacked in May and ShinyHunters hacked into the company’s database and got 1.3 TB of customers data which impacted over 500 million users. The information that was leaked includes users’ details like names, addresses and their credit card details which is a risk to consumer data that is stored by large e-commerce sites. Also, the attack on Microsoft’s corporate systems which was reportedly carried out by the Russian state-sponsored group dubbed Midnight Blizzard showed that state-level actors are now targeting large organizations. These incidents highlight the importance of comprehensive security measures and combination of artificial intelligence, automation and adequate funding for skilled cybersecurity professional to combat sophisticated threats that are becoming more and more common in industries including healthcare, finance and technology. The frequency and size of these incidents will continue to increase spending on cybersecurity solutions in order to protect the data and build the confidence of consumers.
2. AI/LLM: Revolutionizing Business and Beyond
OpenAI: Pioneering AI Integration
OpenAI remained at the forefront of AI/LLM innovation in 2024, transforming business operations with its cutting-edge tools and models. Enhancements to ChatGPT and DALL-E increased their adoption across enterprises for customer service, content creation, and decision-making, with ChatGPT alone reaching over 300 million weekly active users (DemandSage). The introduction of GPT-4 Turbo in late 2023 brought unprecedented contextual understanding with a 128K context window, offering superior performance and cost efficiency (OpenAI). Also, OpenAI launched Sora in December 2024, a groundbreaking text-to-video AI model enabling users to generate videos from textual prompts. While still improving its accuracy with complex scenes, Sora has already shown potential across industries like entertainment and marketing (The Verge). These advancements, combined with OpenAI's commitment to innovation, solidify its position as a leader in driving AI adoption and integration across global enterprises.
Google Gemini: Redefining Multimodal AI
In December 2024, Google announced the release of Gemini 2.0, which is a major improvement of the AI by incorporating multimodal capacity that allows for handling of textual, visual and auditory data using a single framework. This upgrade elevates the decision-making tools in a number of fields, such as media and customer service. At the same time, Google presented the new NotebookLM, a tool that is meant to help with research and content creation process by using AI to collect and outline information, thus giving users ways to easily deal with large data sets and gain important information. The new capabilities of Gemini 2.0, including real-time communication and complex process automation, enhance business processes and promote creativity. As of September 2024, there were 274 million monthly visits to Gemini 2. 0 (Demand Sage), which shows its ubiquity and importance. With this update, Google has cemented its position as one of the leading companies that develop AI solutions that stimulate progress and offer real-world applications in the various industries.
NVIDIA: Driving AI Infrastructure
NVIDIA has become the leading company that supports further development of the AI revolution, its powerful GPUs are behind the recent advancements in generative AI, robotics, and autonomous systems. The release of NVIDIA’s H100 Tensor Core GPUs has provided enhanced processing power to startups and enterprises to enhance innovation. Major technology companies have heavily invested in these GPUs, for instance, Meta has made plans to acquire 350,000 H100 GPUs by the end of 2024, while Microsoft and Meta alone have made a $9 billion investment on these accelerators (Visual Capitalist, Observer). These substantial investments underscore NVIDIA's pivotal role in advancing AI infrastructure across various industries.
Business Impact
In 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) adoption surged, profoundly transforming global business operations. McKinsey's "The State of AI in Early 2024" report revealed that 72% of organizations had integrated AI into at least one business function, up from 50% in 2022 (McKinsey & Company). Amazon's integration of its AI assistant, Amazon Q, exemplifies these benefits. CEO Andy Jassy highlighted that Amazon Q has saved the company approximately $260 million and the equivalent of 4,500 developer-years of work by streamlining software upgrade processes (Benzinga). This efficiency has not only reduced costs but also enhanced security and infrastructure performance. This widespread adoption led to substantial financial benefits, with businesses reporting both cost reductions and revenue growth in units deploying AI technologies. However, the rapid integration of AI also presented challenges, particularly concerning workforce adaptation and the need for new skill sets. A study indicated that Portugal, for example, would need to retrain 1.3 million workers, about 30% of its employed population, to work with generative AI to close the productivity gap with the European Union's average by 2030 (Reuters). Addressing these challenges is crucial for sustaining the positive impact of AI on global business operations.
3. Quantum Computing: Unlocking New Frontiers in Technology
Google’s Willow Chip Breakthrough
Google's unveiling of the Willow quantum chip marks the biggest advancement of 2024, in my personal opinion, in computational capabilities, showcasing its transformative potential in various scientific and industrial domains. In benchmark tests using Random Circuit Sampling (RCS), Willow executed computations in under five minutes, a task that would take the world's fastest supercomputer an estimated 10 septillion years to complete (Business Insider). This benchmark, which measures a quantum computer's ability to generate and process complex quantum circuits, highlights Willow's extraordinary performance and advancements in quantum error correction (Google Blog). Willow's 105 qubits enabled researchers to model intricate chemical reactions with unprecedented accuracy, significantly accelerating advancements in sustainable energy solutions, such as hydrogen fuel production and carbon capture technologies. However, this immense computational capability also poses potential risks, particularly to existing encryption methods. While Willow represents a leap forward, experts estimate that breaking modern cryptographic standards like RSA would require quantum systems with millions of qubits, a milestone that remains at least a decade away (The Verge). As a result, the advent of quantum computing necessitates urgent advancements in quantum resistant cryptographic algorithms to safeguard data against future quantum-enabled threats (Invezz). Willow's achievements underscore the dual-edged nature of quantum computing, its revolutionary promise and the challenges it presents to global security infrastructure.
IBM's Quantum Developments
In the same manner, the technology giant IBM released its new creation in the quantum computing arena, the Quantum Heron, which is the company’s biggest and most powerful quantum processor to date. Quantum Heron is a powerful processor which is able to solve complex algorithms at a large scale, in a short time and with high precision. This processor can therefore successfully compute certain types of quantum circuits with many as as 5,000 two-qubit gate operations, addressing challenges in areas of materials, chemistry and life sciences. This is in line with IBM’s quest for quantum advantage and its strategy towards building quantum-centric supercomputers (IBM Newsroom).
Microsoft's Quantum Breakthroughs
In November 2024, Microsoft together with Atom Computing announced a breakthrough in the development of quantum computing and presented a commercial quantum machine with 24 entangled logical qubits. This system, implemented based on Atom Computing’s neutral atom technology and augmented with Microsoft’s qubit virtualization, targets a major problem of error correction in quantum computations. The quantum machine to be purchased in 2025 is part of Microsoft’s Azure Quantum platform and connects with Azure Elements, enabling quantum applications in various sectors including artificial intelligence, chemistry, and material science. This is significant because logical qubits, which are essentially less noisy and more stable than physical qubits are necessary for the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing. The system has a two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.6%, which is a significant development in the quest for practical and reliable quantum computing for application in other fields. This development also shows Microsoft’s continued focus on the development of quantum computing solutions which it ranks the company as one of the key contributors in the quest to find solutions to issues that cannot be solved by classical computing systems (Network World).
Industry Impact:
In 2024, quantum computing reached pivotal milestones, reshaping industries and driving significant investments. Google’s Willow chip demonstrated quantum supremacy by solving problems in under five minutes that would take classical supercomputers septillion years, revolutionizing fields like materials science, cryptography, and drug discovery (Business Insider). IBM expanded the boundaries of quantum capabilities with its Quantum Heron processor, enabling over 5,000 two-qubit gate operations, pushing advancements in chemistry and life sciences (IBM Newsroom). Microsoft, in collaboration with Atom Computing, made strides in hybrid quantum-classical systems, achieving 12 reliable logical qubits, bringing commercial quantum computing closer to reality (Network World). These advancements, alongside a surge in investments surpassing $10 billion in 2024, reflect the growing momentum in the quantum space, fueled by venture capital and government funding. Researchers and industries anticipate early commercial applications by 2025, particularly in quantum encryption to fortify critical digital infrastructures. While these breakthroughs unlock unprecedented opportunities, they also highlight the need for robust post-quantum cryptographic solutions to address emerging security challenges. The progress in 2024 underscores quantum computing's transformative potential and its role in shaping the future of technology.
4. Web3: The Decentralized Revolution Continues
Bitcoin and Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
In 2024, Bitcoin regained its prominence, crossing the $100,000 mark for the first time, driven by growing institutional interest and adoption as a hedge against inflation. This milestone underscored Bitcoin's evolution from a niche asset to a globally recognized store of value. Meanwhile, the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem thrived, managing over $300 billion in assets as innovations in smart contracts reduced transaction costs and increased accessibility for global users (CoinDesk). DeFi platforms played a crucial role in providing financial services to underserved populations, fostering financial inclusivity through lending, borrowing, and yield farming mechanisms. These advancements highlight the transformative impact of decentralized systems on traditional finance.
Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency
Blockchain technology enhanced supply chain transparency, leading to reductions in fraud and counterfeit products. Industries such as luxury goods and pharmaceuticals experienced a decrease in counterfeit incidents, with blockchain solutions providing secure, unalterable records of product origins and movements. For example: the global market for counterfeit clothing amounts to approximately $450 billion, and blockchain offers a clear solution by enabling companies to track their production of goods and ensure brand integrity (Forbes). Also, pharmaceutical sector has embraced blockchain to combat counterfeit medicines, with companies like MediLedger utilizing blockchain technology to monitor and authenticate the legitimacy of pharmaceuticals throughout the supply chain (Forbes). Implementations like these have shown blockchain's potential to transform global trade by improving tracking and consumer trust.
Digital Identity Empowerment
In 2024, digital identity solutions empowered millions to securely manage their online personas, driving significant growth in the global digital identity market, which reached $961 billion and is projected to surpass $1.3 trillion by 2025 (Forbes). Self-sovereign identity (SSI) systems gained traction, allowing users to control their personal data and address privacy concerns, with 73% of individuals reporting awareness of SSI technology (Springer). The adoption of password less authentication methods, such as passkeys, increased by 400%, leading to a 70% boost in successful logins over traditional passwords (The Verge). Blockchain-based digital identity systems aligned with Web3 principles, enhancing security, reducing identity theft, and fostering trust. Governments like the UK advanced digital ID initiatives, enabling citizens to verify their identities via smartphones for increased efficiency and economic growth (The Times). These advancements underscore the pivotal role of digital identities in creating a secure, privacy-focused internet.
Industry Impact:
In 2024, Bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark alongside the expansion of DeFi platforms that handled more than $300 billion in assets, demonstrating the enhancement of the role of blockchain in the world finance and increasing the accessibility and financial inclusion. It also played a significant role in the enhancement of supply chain transparency where it was adopted in sectors such as luxury goods and pharmaceuticals and was estimated to have reduced counterfeits by 30%, thus exposing the possibility of increasing accountability in the global trade. Digital identity solutions, including self-sovereign identity, empowered individuals to manage their data, improve security and privacy. These new developments are not only providing better management of personal data but take advantage of decentralized ecosystems and are laying the foundations for how digital identities and financial systems are going to develop. Moving forward to 2025, Web3, the DeFi growth and of blockchain will be further integrated, with developments that will go a long way in solving the problems of scalability, security and user control.
5. Sustainable Tech: Building a Greener Future
Renewable Energy Expansion
Green energy investments have reached $500 billion, which is a significant milestone in the path towards sustainability. Solar and wind energy systems for instance grew by 40% thus helping the renewable energy sector. The global transition towards renewable energy grids were also intensified during the year with key countries including the U.S, China, and many countries in EU expanding large scale solar and wind power generation. The growth of clean energy technologies was also propelled by government subsidies, corporate sustainability goals and the need to move away from traditional energy sources that are polluting the environment. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global market for renewables in electricity generation is predicted to reach 46% by 2030 with further investments being made in green energy infrastructure. These developments assist in the quest for a healthier environment but also foster business development, employment and reliable energy sources (IEA Report).
Efficient Data Centers
Data centers, once notorious for their high energy consumption, are undergoing a major transformation in 2024 with the adoption of innovative liquid cooling systems. Companies like Microsoft and Google have developed cutting-edge technologies that reduce the energy required for cooling by up to 30%. These systems use a combination of liquid and air-cooling methods to dissipate heat more efficiently, resulting in a significant decrease in the carbon footprint of data operations. For example, Microsoft’s data centers, which host vast amounts of cloud storage and computing power, are now being optimized to consume less energy while meeting sustainability targets. This shift not only helps companies align with their carbon neutrality goals but also reduces operational costs. As more tech giants implement liquid cooling solutions, the trend sets a new industry standard, helping the data center sector play a pivotal role in global sustainability efforts (Microsoft Sustainability).
Final Thoughts and Look Ahead to 2025
As we close out 2024, the technological landscape has experienced transformative growth, with remarkable advancements across sectors like AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, blockchain, and sustainable technologies. While 2024 showcased unprecedented innovations, such as OpenAI's advancements in AI, Google's Willow quantum chip, and Tesla's sustainability leadership, it also highlighted challenges, especially in cybersecurity, where breaches and ransomware continued to disrupt industries. As we approach 2025, we can look forward to even more groundbreaking developments, particularly in the realms of Web3, decentralized finance (DeFi), and renewable energy. However, the road ahead remains cautious. With continued advancements, we must also address the increasing cybersecurity risks, the expanding talent gap in cybersecurity, and the scaling challenges in AI and quantum computing. 2025 promises to be a year of optimism, but it will require careful planning and resilience to overcome emerging risks, making it a pivotal year for technology to shape a more secure, sustainable, and inclusive future.
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