Singapore
Singapore
If 2024 was the year of exploring AI’s potential, then 2025 will be the year of scaling its impact.
Last year, organisations began adopting AI and digital tools to enhance efficiency and productivity. Generative AI, led by innovations like ChatGPT, highlighted the transformative power of these technologies.
At Canon, we’ve witnessed remarkable ROI from customers embracing automation and AI. From streamlining paper-based processes to enhancing decision-making with real-time data analytics and unlocking efficiencies across industries, the tangible benefits of digital transformation are undeniable.
As 2025 unfolds, organisations will go beyond pilots and trials to make AI a fundamental part of their operations. What can we expect in the year ahead? Here are the top five trends:
According to an IDC study, employee productivity is the top business outcome organisations seek to achieve with AI. 92% of businesses leverage AI for productivity, with 43% reporting it as the leading driver of ROI1.
This trend will accelerate in 2025 as AI continues to automate repetitive tasks, freeing employees to focus on higher-value work like strategic planning, creativity, and relationship building. Sectors with heavy administrative demands will see significant gains as AI reduces manual workloads and eases pressure on teams.
2025 will also see the rise of intelligent agents capable of simplifying complex processes, further amplifying workplace productivity and efficiency.
In 2025, edge AI will play a critical role in decision-making, with advanced algorithms driving faster, smarter, and more effective decisions.
Take the retail sector for example. Tools like spatial analysis, heat mapping, and crowd counting can provide valuable insights into customer behaviour. These insights will help retailers optimise store layouts, manage crowds, and refine marketing strategies, enabling real-time, data-driven decisions that boost profits.
In workplaces, edge AI will enhance facility management by streamlining meeting room bookings and monitoring air quality, creating safer and more efficient environments.
By bridging the digital and physical worlds, edge AI will empower industries with real-time, data-driven decision-making capabilities.
As AI becomes more integral to organisations, the focus is shifting towards custom AI solutions tailored to unique industry needs.
In healthcare, for example, surveillance cameras are equipped with specialised algorithms trained to detect falls and hazards like smoke or fire. Instant alerts allow healthcare teams to respond swiftly, ensuring patient safety while enabling staff to prioritise critical care tasks.
In education, AI features like violence detection and attire monitoring proactively safeguard students and staff, reducing the administrative load on school leaders and creating a safer, more conducive campus environment for learning.
By customising AI to meet specific needs, organisations can drive significant improvements in efficiency and productivity — a trend expected to gain momentum in 2025.
As AI adoption increases, so does the need to address concerns around privacy, ethics, and trust. Building responsible AI systems will require organisations to prioritise transparency, fairness, and privacy.
Singapore, for instance, has developed robust frameworks to guide the ethical deployment of AI. Initiatives like AI Verify provide standardised methods to assess AI system performance, ensuring alignment with key ethical principles for transparency and accountability.
On average, 5% of the global workforce needs reskilling each year. However, the rapid rise of AI has significantly increased this need. In 2024, the number surged to 35%, impacting more than a billion workers worldwide.2 Additionally, 55% of business leaders express concerns about finding skilled talent to fill roles.3
Rather than replacing workers, AI is primarily seen as a tool that augments human capabilities. This underscores the importance of robust reskilling and training programmes to help employees transition to higher-value roles.
As AI becomes more ingrained in business operations, it will be crucial for employees to continuously adapt their roles to work effectively alongside their AI counterparts.
In 2025 and beyond, AI-Human collaboration will continue to evolve and create more efficient and dynamic ways of working. While this may seem daunting to some, it’s important to remember that AI isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Success lies in understanding how AI can best serve your business — and then taking it from there.
Most importantly, finding a trusted solutions partner will be crucial. Reach out to our friendly consultants to learn how AI can help transform your organisation!
References:
1. IDC’s 2024 AI opportunity study: Top five AI trends to watch, IDC, https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/11/12/idcs-2024-ai-opportunity-study-top-five-ai-trends-to-watch/
2. 5 Trends for 2025, IBM, https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/business-trends-2025
3. IDC’s 2024 AI opportunity study: Top five AI trends to watch, IDC, https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/11/12/idcs-2024-ai-opportunity-study-top-five-ai-trends-to-watch/
