25 Big Ideas that will change our world in 2025

As we close out the year and look ahead to 2025, the pace of change feels faster than ever — and the stakes higher.

In 2024, breakthroughs in generative AI and an uncertain economic climate defined a volatile moment for businesses, while ongoing conflicts at Europe’s borders and in the Middle East underscored the fragility of international relations. In 2025, all eyes will be on how AI’s practical applications — alongside shifts in the geopolitical and economic landscape — could dramatically shape our relationship with work and life.

Every December, LinkedIn News spotlights bold ideas from our editors and experts around the world that are poised to shape the year ahead. This year’s 25 Big Ideas span a dynamic array of predictions, from construction robots fixing the housing crisis to more investment dollars heading back to the U.S., that offer a glimpse into what may define 2025 and beyond.

What trend or idea do you expect to have the biggest impact in the year ahead? And why? Share your thoughts in the comments or start your own conversation by posting a video with #BigIdeas2025. — Josh M. Carney

Check out Beth Kutscher 's analysis of what we got right — and wrong — with some of last year’s Big Ideas predictions. And you can see our local Big Ideas for Australia, India, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands, the U.K., Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

The integration of AI into our daily work routines has quickly become less of a novelty, and more of a cultural norm. Soon, it will become a necessity — something people will begin to expect from their tools at work — and spark a productivity revolution.?

The AI we have today will evolve into intelligent digital assistants that will be able to draft email responses, ready for you to send when you sign on to start your workday, help determine which meetings to join and even assist in contract negotiations, reducing your overall workload.?

Over time, AI digital assistants will become fully customized, evolving into a “digital twin,” equipped with your work history and institutional knowledge. They will fundamentally change how we work, allowing us to prioritize the creative and strategic tasks that truly require a human touch and thoughtful focus time.

Back in 1926, Henry Ford revolutionized the work week, reducing it from 48 to 40 hours. Now, thanks to AI, a four-day workweek could become the norm — enabling the fifth workday to be used as a mindful retreat from daily tasks to be spent with friends, family or hobbies.

In the end, our digital twins will allow us to top Ford — and the implications for productivity, work-life balance and collaboration will be profound. A four-day workweek could truly be within reach. — Eric S. Yuan , Founder and CEO of Zoom

??What do you think about the idea of having an AI assistant to help you free up time? Weigh in.

Over the past two decades, we’ve seen many "founder mode" corporate leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Airbnb 's Brian Chesky . But with millennials — the oldest of whom turn 44 this year — on the brink of overtaking Gen X in the executive ranks, a new type of millennial CEO is emerging: the non-founder who rises through the ranks (or is headhunted) to lead, or even turn around, a company

Take Damola Adamolekun , for example. Last year, he was appointed CEO of Red Lobster at 35. Before that, he led P.F. Chang's for over four years. He joins other young, non-founder millennial CEOs like Kickstarter 's Everette Taylor and Instacart 's Fidji Simo . Toby Z. Rice has been leading EQT Corporation , a $20 billion natural gas firm, for over five years…and he's not even 40.

So what do they have in common? Looking at these individuals, we can expect more millennials who hail from leadership positions at large corporations stepping into the top job at smaller firms. "I think companies will change for the better with millennial CEOs at the helm," Ofo Ezeugwu , CEO of WYL , told LinkedIn. "I think we have a better tenor for listening and communicating in a multi-generational way where we can connect the dots for folks."

For single-company "lifers" who started at the bottom of the corporate ladder, a recent Fortune study found it takes an average of 33 years to climb from intern to CEO. So, we might have to wait until 2035 for that. — Max Lockie

??How do you think the rise of millennial CEOs will reshape corporate leadership and company culture? Weigh in.

Get ready to meet a new colleague next year: the office influencer. With Gen Z's unrelenting demand for brand authenticity and personal connection, more employers are poised to hire in-house influencers in 2025 to give their online presence a relatable touch.

These social media personalities will capture their company's essence on video, producing everything from day-in-the-life vlogs to Q&A sessions with colleagues. They'll also jump on the latest social media trends to inject humor into employer branding, while coaching senior executives on effectively using video to communicate company news, such as earnings announcements.

Unlike traditional content creators who participate in one-off brand deals, office influencers will be full-time employees at established employers, like consulting giant Deloitte and luggage company Béis. By adopting this role, companies will appeal to both young talent and customers, meeting them where they spend much of their time: on social media.

Jenna Palek , a creator hired by hydration startup Waterboy to create content, suggests that long-term incentives like equity will be key to convincing independent creators to move in-house.

"The reality is that most influencers can make a yearly corporate income in just a few partnerships on their own,” Palek told The Times, “so long-term benefits and personal relationships will be key to keeping influencers." — Gianna Prudente

??What do you think about the corporate influencer trend? Weigh in.

The Intern (2015) was a film ahead of its time. It follows a character played by Robert De Niro who discovers his golden years weren’t so golden after all and jumps at the chance to intern for Anne Hathaway’s character at a fashion startup. Spoiler alert, both characters come to respect and learn from each other by the end — and that same dynamic could start playing out at companies across the U.S. in 2025 and beyond.

In recent years, we’ve seen a flurry of retired Americans head back to work, driven in part by economic pressures and a search for personal fulfillment. The share of baby boomers who returned to the workforce in 2023 after retiring was 23.9% higher than 2022, according to recent research from LinkedIn's Economic Graph .

As the workforce continues to evolve and expand, company initiatives will follow suit. Internships may soon lose their age and degree requirements, ultimately becoming more accessible to retired baby boomers or caregivers who have taken a career break. Employers including Wells Fargo, Deloitte, Audible and the U.S. Golf Association have already instituted special programs to reach these groups.

Karl Yergey, a retired high school teacher, landed an internship with the United States Golf Association (USGA) last year, turning his longtime hobby into a potential second career. He formed relationships with the younger members of his cohort by being “incredibly self-deprecating.” And while one intern often helped him navigate social media and technology, Yergey was also able to give advice to another intern working on her master’s degree. That process of mutual learning and effective multigenerational collaboration underscores the value in expanding the applicant pool for internship programs. — Taylor Borden

??What do you think about baby boomers returning to the workforce as interns? Weigh in.

In the year ahead, the U.S. will firmly cement its role as the leading destination for foreign investment and capital expenditure.?

For decades, globalization put a damper on the U.S. as an investment destination. Persistently high production costs in the U.S. created offshoring opportunities for China and India to gain pace.

However, an intensifying set of push and pull factors has redirected the spotlight back to the U.S. China’s cautious consumer and property market and Europe’s fragmentation and lack of growth have made these regions less attractive to investors. Meanwhile, conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have pushed investors to seek safety in the U.S.

The U.S.’s unmatched capital market strength has enticed companies looking to be closer to their end consumers, and they are relocating their supply chains accordingly. This, combined with a business-friendly environment, has opened doors for semiconductor manufacturing, energy efficiency and electrification projects.

Carrots matter — the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act helped drive Taiwan’s TSMC Arizona to up its cumulative capital investment in its Phoenix site past $65 billion in 2024, the state’s largest-ever foreign direct investment. Cheap natural gas and rapidly evolving AI are other sectors where the U.S. is out in front. While much remains to be seen in terms of U.S. policy and regulation under the incoming administration, I expect the compelling U.S. investment opportunities will continue to strengthen. And I never bet against the American entrepreneur.

The U.S. comprises nearly 50% of the world’s capital, and its private sector is strong. While global lanes have changed as supply chains diversify, it’s clear that all roads are increasingly leading to the U.S. — Jane Fraser , CEO of 花旗

??Do you agree that investment roads will lead to the U.S. in 2025? Why or why not? Weigh in.

Bank customers have deserted branch visits in favor of smartphone apps for years, but face-to-face banking hasn’t had its last word yet. Welcome to the “banking lounges” era: with the growing threat of scams, this renewed in-person experience will feel more like going to an Apple store or Starbucks than simply visiting a teller.?

Think: less transaction windows and long queues and more open meeting spaces, education seminars and even freshly brewed coffee. “In the future, a visit to the bank may feel more like buying a new phone than opening a new account,” financial crime consultant Luke Raven says.

Banks are under pressure from regulators to do more to protect customers from scams and fraud, according to Raven. In the U.K., banks are obligated to refund fraud victims up to ￡85,000, while in Australia banks could soon face fines in the millions of dollars for failing to prevent scams. “In some countries, there will be mandated reimbursement by default, while in others, banks will be on the hook if they haven’t done a good job,” he says.

This, in turn, will push banks to ‘break the spell’ that scam victims are under by offering a human interaction — ideally face-to-face. While small transactions will still be done from the palm of your hand, banks will invite customers to do their banking in-store for big, life-changing moments — such as buying your first home or gifting a large amount of money to loved ones — where trained support staff can help prevent fraud or even simple human errors. — Misa Han

??What do you think about the rise of new bank formats? Would you visit one of these lounges? Weigh in.

Caring for patients is no longer enough to keep hospitals afloat — and they’ll increasingly look outward for new revenue streams. Northwell Health may have caused a stir this year when it announced a new studio division, but it’s hardly alone in its ambitions.

With hospitals still feeling the pinch from the COVID-19 pandemic, “revenue diversification” was a key callout in presentations at this year’s J.P. 摩根 Healthcare Conference for organizations such as the Mayo Clinic and Mass General Brigham . John Couris, the CEO of Tampa General Hospital , credited its strong balance sheet in part to the creation of a standalone staffing agency called InterHealth, which not only helps save on labor costs but can now sell its services to other customers. “It has been an enormous win for us — I mean seismic,” Couris said in an interview. “We’re definitely diversifying revenue.”

The shift may extend beyond the U.S. A recent study that looked at six NHS trusts in the U.K., for example, found that they earned anywhere from 12% to 53% of their 2021-2022 income from commercial activities.

As for Northwell, its docuseries and scripted films haven’t been making money just yet, but the move is attracting patients and physicians nonetheless — an indirect way of shoring up its balance sheet. — Beth Kutscher

??What do you think about hospitals diversifying their revenue streams in creative ways? Weigh in.

In 2025, surgeons might be at the forefront of expanding access to the latest healthcare innovations — and still make it home for dinner. Remote surgery — which utilizes both robotic technology and wireless networking to connect patients and surgeons who are geographically distant — has seen significant growth since its first successful operation in 2001.?

The continued expansion of 5G is breeding hope that more patients could soon have access to these types of procedures. Last September, a urologic surgeon performed surgery on a patient in Beijing from Bordeaux, with a delay of only 132 milliseconds between his commands and the robot's movements. This near-instantaneous response was made possible by advancements in 5G technology. In addition, “augmented reality will enhance real-time surgical guidance," explains Shady Saikali MD, FACS , a doctor specializing in robotic surgery. "AI-powered analytics will also play a pivotal role in supporting decision-making during telesurgery," he adds.

About 300 million surgeries are currently performed annually around the world, but another 143 million would be required to address population needs, according to a recent study. “Telesurgery could help close this gap,” Saikali says. It also facilitates collaboration between specialists and access to surgical education. But open questions remain, such as how healthcare regulatory bodies will approve cross-border surgical procedures and where accountability lies in case of errors and ensuring patient consent.

Saikali believes that “more hospitals in developed and developing regions will adopt or become more familiar with telesurgery capable robots” in the coming year. — Emilie T?n

??What do you think about the rise of remote surgery? Weigh in.

As the labor shortage in construction deepens, AI-powered robots may hold the key to building homes faster and more efficiently.

At least 1.6 billion people lack adequate housing globally?— a number that could nearly double by 2030, according to the United Nations. One big reason for this crisis? A dearth of construction workers. About 250,000 additional construction workers are needed by 2028 to meet global housing demands and almost a third of construction companies label the search for skilled staff a “key challenge.”

New startups, such as Amsterdam-based Monumental , could help close the gap. Their AI-powered robots specialize in laying bricks and can potentially help ease labor demand, founder and CEO Salar al Khafaji told MT/Sprout. "Our robots can join the existing workforce and are able to work whatever the weather, with very consistent results."?

The global market for construction robots is expected to grow 17.5% each year until 2030. These AI-powered helpers are being developed all over the globe — from robots that paint and lay floor tiles in Singapore to roof installers in the U.S. And another Dutch startup, ROPAX , even built a complete house. By this time next year, maybe a robot will build yours. — Melvin Captein

??What do you think about construction robots and their potential impact? Weigh in.

People often think that fighting climate change is something that happens behind the scenes — via an algorithm optimizing energy use or a buried carbon capture system. But over the next year, some of the most powerful solutions will be working in plain sight.

In 2025, climate innovations will enter our homes, workplaces and supermarkets to become part of everyday life — not only because they fight climate change, but because they save time, cut costs and perform better. Take Luxwall’s vacuum-insulated windows. These aren’t futuristic gadgets; they’re windows, just like most of us look through every day. But by acting like a thermos bottle, they massively reduce energy consumption.

The same thing is true when concrete is injected with captured CO2 and becomes more efficient — or when advances in EV-battery technology increase range, decrease costs and give more people the green light to go green. And while the meat-replacement market is already pretty robust, sustainable dairy protein alternatives are improving daily. (I now prefer a fungi-based yogurt over the “real” stuff.)

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. But the real power of these innovations lies in their dual appeal: They’re good for the planet and great for business. — Bill Gates , Chair of Gates Foundation and Founder of Breakthrough Energy

??How do you see climate innovations evolving in 2025? Weigh in.

The global edible packaging market is projected to reach around $1.28 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.4%. While much of the innovation in this space has so far occurred behind the scenes, rising pressure on retailers to eliminate single-use plastics could make 2025 the year edible packaging finally hits supermarket shelves.

The most viable option? Seaweed, like the wraps from UK-based Notpla . "Seaweed is not only abundant but incredibly biodegradable, and when processed, it forms a natural polymer that can be turned into a film or pouch,” explains Lisa Cain , packaging director at Smurfit Westrock . “These wraps protect the food, function as a moisture barrier, and — if the mood strikes — can be eaten … You can even infuse packaging with vitamins or create barriers that actively protect food from spoilage.”

Cain notes that consumer attitudes have shifted dramatically in the last few years, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. With the right blend of strategic marketing and educational campaigns to build trust, supermarkets are well-positioned to embrace edible packaging as the next game-changer for sustainable shopping.

Logistical challenges facing grocers are also being addressed. Food safety regulations and environmental sensitivities like temperature and moisture have presented real hurdles, but solutions are emerging rapidly. Secondary protective layers, akin to the paper wrapping around an ice cream cone, ensure durability during transit.

Meanwhile, smart IoT sensors — already in use on some plastic packaging — could provide critical support, improving stock tracking, rotation and shelf-life management to ease the integration of edible alternatives. — Aaron Toumazou

??What do you think about edible packaging? Weigh in.

Expect a reckoning across the streaming landscape in 2025 as platforms coalesce to bundle their services together.

In the last 15 years, Hollywood has made the uneasy transition from decades of deeply profitable years driven by cable and linear television platforms to a highly fragmented — and largely loss-making — streaming era.

Yet studio bosses running platforms such as Disney+, Max and Peacock have become much less tolerant of steep financial losses. Streamers are hiking prices, increasing ad-supported tiers and bundling services to drive revenue. And viewers are increasingly frustrated with soaring subscription fees and the user experience itself.

This disconnect has rendered the future of streaming as the top issue perplexing the entertainment business, according to Puck founding partner Matthew Belloni . “For most people it’s becoming a question of, ‘How can I pay the least to see a show I might like?’” he says.

Bundles have emerged as one path forward, and Belloni says we will see much more in 2025. He cites Apple’s decision to sell its streaming service via archrival Amazon’s storefront this year as a watershed moment.

Status founder Oliver Darcy says Netflix raced ahead of rivals thanks to technology and user-experience advantages. Most streamers now realize they are not big enough to compete, he says, citing Peacock, Max and Paramount Plus as prime for consolidation or at least bundling.

“The streaming experience is still terrible for consumers — it’s too difficult to find a movie or series and navigate through so many apps and payment plans,” Darcy says. “Consolidation could actually help with that. With a change in administration at the White House, studio executives are hoping that the M&A climate will be friendlier to these sorts of deals.” — Andrew Murfett

??How do you expect the streaming landscape to change in the year ahead? Weigh in.

The social media ecosystem has fractured in recent years, with users flitting from site to site to get the information they need. In the years ahead, we are poised to see the text-based social networking world splinter even more. That means we will need to maintain identities across different social networks to access disparate communities.

Twitter, which became X in 2023, enjoyed more than a decade of dominance as the world’s platform for public discourse. But Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company in 2022 upended the social networking world, sending the platform’s users to a wide range of upstarts looking to take its place as the dominant arena for online debate. Mark Zuckerberg launched Threads, and decentralized services like Mastodon and Bluesky Social , which has recently exploded in popularity, entered the fray.?

This fragmentation of the social ecosystem will be exacerbated as governments around the world sense an opportunity to crack down on content they disagree with. Already, India and Brazil have issued takedown orders to X.

It may take a long time before a new central watering hole for the global internet emerges. And we may never see one akin to old Twitter again.?

Ultimately, this fracturing could lead to greater polarization as we see different political groups become siloed on their online platforms of choice. This could fuel the spread of misinformation and hate, as like-minded communities stew in their own online environments without any pushback or counter voices, potentially leading to real world unrest. — Ryan Mac & Kate Conger , reporters at 纽约时报 and authors of Character Limit

??Do you think our social media ecosystem will continue to splinter in the year ahead? Why or why not? Weigh in.

Planning a holiday escape but not sure where to go? In 2025, VR and AR technologies will revolutionize tourism — helping you get a sneak peek of your next destination, enhancing your experience through interactive maps and personalized recommendations from remote assistants.

This immersive technology is transforming the travel industry, with virtual tourism expected to reach over $24 billion by 2027, according to Statista. But it doesn't mean you have to forget real-world travel. Once at your destination, augmented reality can enhance your journey by providing real-time translations, up-to-the-minute traffic details and insights into historical monuments. For instance, the startup AI Tour has developed software using AR glasses to show detailed reconstructions of Pompeii's buildings, interiors and artifacts superimposed on the ruins.

These evolutions will reshape how we discover and interact with the world, making travel more accessible, educational and captivating. "What will be revolutionary in the year ahead is integrating AR features into maps and developing smart glasses,” says researcher Margherita Maria Mancini . “As VR and AR hardware like headsets and smart glasses become more common, their impact will be even more significant.”

The rapid development of supporting technologies, such as wearable devices like the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest, with features like voice commands, gesture controls and customizable settings, will make these tools more user-friendly and accessible to a broader audience. Overall, they’ll enhance travelers' experiences, increase engagement, boost awareness and elevate overall satisfaction. — Alessandro Mariani

??What do you think about using AR and VR to change the way we explore and experience new destinations? Weigh in.

One giant leap… to Mars? New efforts to explore the cosmos may ultimately get us back to the moon —?or to the Red Planet.?

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration 's Artemis II — the first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years — is scheduled to launch in late 2025, with a historic team of astronauts including Christina Koch, the first woman to travel to the moon, and Victor Glover , the first person of color. Artemis II won’t land, but due to its trajectory, the flight will be the furthest humans have ever traveled. It will test life support and flight systems needed for the landing mission, which will see NASA partner with SpaceX to put a Starship rocket on the lunar surface in the coming years. China also plans to put boots on the moon by 2030.?

Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg says in a video on LinkedIn that "humans are returning to the moon to work, not to walk,” adding that the Artemis program will turbocharge scientific and technological advances like Apollo did. “We are on the cusp of a new era of space exploration and industrialization that will transform robotics, autonomous systems, AI, medicine, energy, resources, agriculture and more,” she says.

And it won't stop there. SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s cultural and political influence following the U.S. election could lead to more ambitious space exploration goals, as he sets about overcoming the regulations he sees as barriers to fulfilling his lifelong goal to colonize Mars. The world’s richest man now has a strong ally in president-elect Donald Trump, who on the campaign trail backed a faster timeline for reaching the Red Planet.?A Mars-shot might not be far behind next year’s moonshot. — Marty McCarthy

??What are your predictions for space exploration in the coming year? Weigh in.

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election win, the United States will be looking inward. After decades of acting as the world’s policeman, Americans have grown tired of foreign intervention. Without that commitment, the bedrock of the world’s trading order will be missing in action. That means uncertainty for U.S. allies, opportunity for its adversaries and volatility for world markets.

In Ukraine, Trump has pledged to end the war quickly by giving presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin an ultimatum to stop the fighting or else. Zelensky has moved to get on Trump's good side. That probably won’t work on Trump because Ukraine is an ally that offers the U.S. much less than it asks for — one that could suck Americans into a wider war. We are likely to see a ceasefire in 2025; whether it’s likely to last is another matter.

We’ll see a rebalance of power in the Middle East, as Israel's war goes from a boil to a simmer with the backing of an even more supportive U.S. president. Israel is unlikely to face another October 7-like attack while their military is fully focused on border security, which means the region will return to a more favorable climate for markets.

Meanwhile, China’s underperforming economy will make it amenable to a more stable relationship with the U.S. Could Elon Musk — who has a lot of business dealings in China — soften the blow of Trump's proposed tariffs? That's an untested proposition, and most of Trump's advisors take a hawkish view on China, making the overall relationship more likely to decline.

All together, expect a bumpy geopolitical ride in 2025, without a clear referee to rein everyone in. — Ian Bremmer , Founder and President of Eurasia Group , GZERO Media

?? What geopolitical trends should professionals be focused on to stay informed in the year ahead? Weigh in.

More than 50% of the decline in global growth in recent years has been due to tepid productivity gains. In the coming year, major economies will invest in their workforces to turn this around.?

Over the past few years, global economic policymaking has been preoccupied with many other things — dealing with the pandemic and its aftermath, navigating global conflicts and geopolitical tensions, fighting inflation and avoiding a global recession.

The global economy has persevered and shown remarkable resilience through it all. But it has been left with a worrying legacy of low growth and high debt. Now is the time for global economies to capitalize on the resilience it has developed in recent years to focus on growth. We can do that by making work work better for more people.

Policymakers in 2025 will need to invest in reforms like reducing barriers to competition, cutting red tape and advancing digitalization, to name just a few. The right reforms can help boost productivity, enhance skills and seize the benefits of the green and digital transitions. Governments will need help from the private sector, which can provide capital and innovation, to pull this off.

We will raise our growth ambitions and create good jobs where people need them most. — Kristalina Georgieva , Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund

??Do you believe global growth in the year ahead hinges on supporting workers? Why or why not? Weigh in.

With an increasing number of employers focused on returning to the office, they will lean into team meals in 2025 to lure workers back and rekindle the pre-pandemic feelings of community. While some employers may sweeten the deal with free or reduced food, the actual focus will be on bringing people together during meals.

"Research suggests that it's very powerful when we eat together," says Tracy Brower, PhD , a sociologist and the author of The Secrets to Happiness at Work. Eating together is tied to increases in acceptance, trust, sense of community and even better enjoyment in life. Brower adds that team meals are also tied to better outcomes, performance and retention.

Cater2.me , a company that provides corporate catering across the U.S., saw an uptick in business between 2021 and 2022 as companies started to bring employees back into the workplace.?

"More recently, a lot of companies have settled into their in-office policies and they're thinking about food less as a mechanism for driving attendance and more as a way to build camaraderie and culture within the office, very similar to how it was viewed pre-pandemic," says Jonathan Altshuler , who is Cater2.me's chief operating officer.

Cadence is important, adds Brower. Once per quarter or year is not enough, for example. Leaders need to make communal meals feel like the norm by suggesting one-on-one meetings over breakfast or coffees. "When we encourage leaders to start to model that behavior, then we'll start to see more of that mirrored in the culture as well," she adds. — Andrew Seaman

??Do you think team lunches are an effective way to drive community in the workplace? Why or why not? Weigh in.

AI is set to revolutionize workplace inclusivity by enabling people with disabilities to join the workforce like never before. With innovations like hands-free computer operations and screen reading for the visually impaired, these technologies will reshape how people contribute to their work — and drive outsize business success.

Excluding people with disabilities from the workforce can cost up to 7% of a country’s GDP, according to the WEF 2023 report on AI and disability inclusion. Implementing a disability-inclusive business strategy with assistive AI could lead to a 28% increase in revenue and 30% increase in profit margins for companies.

AI could also help make recruitment more inclusive and offer employees learning opportunities and processes tailored to their specific needs, including for neurodivergent individuals.

“As someone who navigates life in a wheelchair, I’ve seen firsthand how tools like voice recognition, predictive text, and adaptive interfaces open doors that were previously closed,”? says diversity and inclusion leader Alister Ong. “These advancements aren’t just about convenience — they’re about giving us the autonomy to perform, contribute, and thrive.”

More than 2.5 billion disabled individuals will require assistive products globally by 2030, according to a report by the World Health Organization . “With 75% of employers globally struggling to find the talent they need, embracing assistive AI for persons with disabilities offers a great opportunity for them to tap into this underrepresented and highly capable talent pool,” says Andy Bentote , a regional managing director at PageGroup . — Neha Jain Kale

??What other ways do you think AI can help make the workplace more accessible in 2025 and beyond? Weigh in.

In 2024, AI dominated headlines with hype and speculation. In 2025, the conversation will evolve and leaders will focus instead on AI’s tangible impact on the bottom line.?

The question is no longer whether to use AI but how to harness it to deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes.?

CEOs and boards must recognize that AI’s most transformative applications may arise in surprising areas. This requires a deliberate, thoughtful approach toward exploring the technology’s potential without succumbing to overinflated expectations.

Businesses must set clear goals around what they are trying to achieve with AI. Whether it’s rapid access to critical insights, faster decision-making, improved productivity or operational efficiency, companies will focus on AI’s proven use cases.

For example, AI-powered tools can now allow a business user to search through data buried within thousands of PDF documents or empower a clinician to quickly identify patterns across patient symptoms with a simple question. We will continue to see companies adopt use cases like these, especially as AI agents start to accelerate our ability to automate repetitive, predictable tasks and take action on insights. As these capabilities gain traction, AI will help organizations discover new efficiencies and expand their operations.?

We are at a pivotal AI moment — adapt or fall behind. Organizations will need to adopt AI with precision and a clear focus on the outcomes they desire. Those that don’t risk losing their competitive edge. — Sridhar Ramaswamy , CEO of Snowflake

??What practical AI use cases do you anticipate seeing from companies in the year ahead? Weigh in.

For at least three in ten adults, modern dating means online dating — and many will tell you it “has never been worse.” In 2025, more singles will dump disappointing dating apps and search for alternative ways to mingle.

Legacy dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid once promised unprecedented ease, but their decade of steady growth is now on the decline. A recent lawsuit against Match Group , which now owns most of the major dating apps, offers one reason why: "[The apps] transform users into gamblers locked in a search for psychological rewards that Match makes elusive on purpose." Online dating hasn’t seen much innovation since the advent of swiping, while profit expectations have resulted in tiered experiences for paying users.

Meanwhile, fed up daters are diversifying where they meet people, from niche social clubs to Strava DMs, and tapping into a budding industry of matchmakers, dating coaches and ticketed speed dating events — including one where friends “pitch” each other to potential suitors via PowerPoint. This experimentation will continue in 2025, as daters and entrepreneurs look for the next big thing. And dating apps will adjust, or get deleted.

Expect to see the arrival of more startups looking to snag a piece of Match Group’s pie by addressing some of the worst parts of online dating — think features to prevent ghosting, videos offering “vibe-checks” and flirty chatbots that write icebreakers for you. Hopefully one of them can figure out how to make dating feel fun again. — Rachel Cromidas

??How do you expect dating apps to evolve in the year ahead? Weigh in.

If hot flashes slow you down at work, you may want to check if your employer will cover a menopause career coach.?

Until very recently, all talk of menopause at work and otherwise was taboo. Women concealed symptoms, powered through insomnia and fought back brain fog largely on their own. In an October 2024 global survey of almost 2,900 full-time employees experiencing menopause in eight countries, Catalyst Inc. CEO Jennifer McCollum found that nearly three-quarters of women have hidden their symptoms at work at least once. And available information about treatments like hormones was often wrong.

But as celebrities from Halle Berry to Michelle Obama to Oprah Winfrey have opened up about their own menopausal experiences, the cultural silence is lifting.??

According to the Mayo Clinic , menopause-related productivity losses cost U.S. companies approximately $1.8 billion annually. To wit: at any given time, 20% of our workforce is experiencing some stage of menopause.

Now companies are stepping up their efforts to provide better treatment, support and accommodations. The Catalyst survey revealed several strategies: Employers can support women by offering flexible work arrangements, medical insurance, access to menopause health professionals and workplace education.?

At the same time, a growing number of executive coaches are tailoring their practices to this stage in a senior leader’s career. For example, Fiona McKay helms a coaching practice called The Menopause Maze that works with female founders and C-suite executives as they lean in through this phase. She says that supporting leaders through this life stage leads to better performance. In other words, companies are waking up to the fact that destigmatizing menopause can help the bottom line. — Jessi Hempel

??How do you think workplace support for menopause will — or should — evolve in 2025? Weigh in.

GLP-1 receptor agonists have been hailed as drugs that will “change the world” — but below the hype, we’ll tackle serious questions about the costs of treating obesity. The sheen will start to wear off as healthcare systems weigh the financial and other costs of these drugs.

For starters, there are unanswered questions about long-term side effects, especially since most patients will need to take these drugs indefinitely. Diabetics are already worried that it will be harder to find insulin. And the drugs’ high price tags risk exacerbating health disparities between the haves and have-nots.

Still, the gold rush will continue. The pipeline is deep; there are 39 GLP-1 compounds in development across 34 companies, according to a November analysis. 诺和诺德 — maker of two top-selling GLP-1s, Ozempic and Wegovy — is taking what it describes as an entrepreneurial approach to finding new mechanisms to treat obesity. It’s working with startups, academics and teaching hospitals, and utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning to find additional receptors to target. One focus, for example, is longer-acting biologics that would be more sustainable and require less-frequent dosing, according to Uli Stilz , vice president of the company’s Bio Innovation Hub.

Before we even answer the outstanding questions, drugmakers will continue to offer new answers. — Beth Kutscher

??How do you think the perception of GLP-1 drugs will change in 2025? Weigh in.

Sports betting ads are everywhere, competing for your attention and promising the thrill of a big win. But as backlash against the industry grows, their ubiquity might be short-lived.

Following a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision, 39 states and D.C. have legalized sports betting, fueling a rapidly expanding legal gambling industry that’s becoming deeply embedded in sports culture itself.

But as sports betting revenue soars — the American Gaming Association projects Americans will wager $35 billion this National Football League (NFL) season, up more than 30% from last season — new research suggests there may be darker consequences for consumers, including financial fallout and a rise in problematic gambling.

“Online and mobile gambling platforms, along with real-time in-game wagering, provide an environment that is ideal for gambling addiction since the barriers to adult participation are virtually non-existent,” says Stephen Shapiro , professor of sports and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina .

This year will bring more anti-gambling public health campaigns, tighter regulations on advertising and higher taxes on sportsbooks. Just as rising public health awareness spurred regulatory crackdowns on Big Tobacco, we could witness a similar backlash against the sports gambling industry: a new player profiting on products that are easily accessible and hard to quit. — Jessica Misener

??Do you think that sports betting will see increased backlash in 2025? Why or why not? Weigh in.

While "what’s old is new again" is a timeless adage, it feels as though it's reached a fever pitch in recent years. But in 2025, it will no longer be enough for legacy brands to dust off old successes — they’ll need to reinvent themselves, leaning on both past and present, or “nowstalgia,” to appeal to modern audiences.?

Brands that were power players in the 2000s such as Abercrombie, Limited Too and Victoria’s Secret are already bolstering their bottom lines by adapting their core products to reach today’s consumers. Abercrombie, for example, now offers more size inclusivity and higher-end materials like wool and cashmere.?

Like the fashion phenoms of prior generations, HBO knows that simply bringing back a product isn’t enough. The streaming platform is producing a Harry Potter series, more than 15 years after the last film was released, with a commitment to inclusive casting to connect with a broader audience.?

Why is this happening and why will it continue? On one hand, these brands are appealing to former customers who are longing for prior golden days. According to a Pew Research report, 58% of Americans believe life in the United States is worse now than it was 50 years ago — a percentage that has risen by 15 points since the 2021 survey. And on the other, they’re reaching a new, younger audience that’s looking to quell the fear of missing out on the heydays of prior generations.

For brands, this poses an opportunity to elevate their timeless classics. As marketing expert Paco Lorente suggests, “in moments of longing, we turn to decisions we made in the past that proved successful.” — Ana Mu?oz Vita

??How do you see the "nowstalgia" trend evolving in the year ahead? Weigh in.

What prediction or trend do you expect to have the biggest impact in the year ahead? And why? Share your thoughts in the comments or by posting a video with #BigIdeas2025.