Jess Bettencourt and Dan O’Mahony

The AI bubble will slowly burst. Companies that view AI as an early idea, add-on, or impulsive reaction will fade into the background and become extinct. Next year, the winners will be those who have thoughtfully adopted AI early on or who are using advanced forms of AI, like Deep Learning, to solve a massive industry challenge. As a result of this slow burst, we can also anticipate interesting mergers and acquisitions. – JB

Reporters will examine how AI is moving from experimentation to production and, of course, look for areas where it is not living up to its promise. Also, large language model (LLM) companies will face a reckoning with high valuations compared to the commoditization of models. All said, it will go big or home for AI providers and enterprises building AI applications. – DO

Julie Sellew

The continued AI boom may bring heightened scrutiny of big tech companies' energy consumption. Calls to action for these companies to offset their environmental impact will grow louder. How these companies respond, whether through genuine action or performative gestures, will be crucial to watch as stakeholders demand accountability and transparency. 

Despite a new administration and a Republican-led Congress, the clean energy sector, particularly solar, wind, and battery storage, is poised for growth. This momentum will be driven by the convergence of three critical factors that impact the need for grid diversification: global energy demand, the rapid expansion of data centers, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. If federal funding is scaled back, the private sector will likely step in to fill the gap, helping to ensure progress isn't stalled. 

Christine Lewis

The first half of 2025 will be laser-focused on the new administration's impact on consumer spending, from price hikes due to tariffs to potential tax cuts that could provide relief. We are entering a period of uncertainty that consumer brands will watch very carefully. 

Legacy brands will lean into storytelling that appeals to nostalgia-loving Millennials and Gen Zers to build deeper connections to their brands and help spur the next generation of fans. 

Jill Creelman and Alex Evans

You can expect highly anticipated cyber IPOs and M&A activity to return next year. Heavy market consolidation occurred at the beginning of 2024, and more of that will continue next year as the leaders in each category break out from the noise and the rest of the pack. – JC

The conversation around AI’s impact on cybersecurity is far from over, and we’ll see the next phase of that in 2025. We saw many AI-driven solutions and companies pop up in the past, and the leaders will start separating from the pack. Vendors will need to demonstrate value and prove ROI. – AE

Stephanie Fergione

Next year, there will be a growing focus on femtech — PitchBook data indicates 2024 as a record year for VC investment in the space. I look forward to seeing how emerging startups address specific areas of women’s health that have flown under the radar in the broader healthcare ecosystem for far too long, including menstrual health, menopause and aging and women’s mental health. 

Lisa Van der Pool

AI in schools and how it can benefit students will continue to be a headline story in 2025. Not only has AI entered the education setting, but it is also widely used by teachers, administrators and students throughout the country. Our client, Cambium Learning Group, recently surveyed K-12 teachers and district administrators across the U.S. who actively use AI in classroom settings to understand better how this technology is used, the benefits and challenges, and implications for the future classroom. Check out those findings here. In 2025, AI usage will only continue to grow and expand in schools – both in and out of the classroom. According to an EdWeek Research Center survey, 56% of educators expect to use AI tools more this academic school year than last year.