Future Beat: Looking forward

Reflecting on the past isn't necessarily something we dwell too much on with this newsletter. So it's perhaps no surprise that we are already looking at the technology narratives that will drive 2025.

Certainly, it is safe to say we will still be talking about artificial intelligence, but we also might be learning about the legal obligations that come with the territory of seemingly innocent emojis.

Speaking of predictions, with the help of scientists and years of study, humans will probably improve their ability to forecast weather and potentially prevent crop destruction.

Those stories only scratch the surface, and we look forward to exploring 2025 with all of our Future Beat followers in the months ahead.

- Cody Sigel Combs , Future Editor

The Big Story

The race to $4 trillion

In brief | Apple shares reached a new high this week as the iPhone maker races towards becoming the first company to reach a $4 trillion market valuation, ahead of its rivals Nvidia and Microsoft.

In a client note, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said he believes Apple will cross the threshold in early 2025. Mr Ives said Nvidia and Microsoft would join soon after, noting that Wedbush anticipates tech stocks to be up another 25 per cent in 2025 under their base case.

Why it matters | Artificial intelligence, for all the conflicting reports we read and opinions spouted, has proven to be a rising tide that's lifted technology companies.

Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple are just a few of the many that have sought to make the most of AI to drive sales.

Apple, however, stands out partly because, at the beginning of the year, many thought the technology giant that helped put personal computing on the map was behind the AI curve, and at risk of losing influence in 2025 and beyond.

Yet Apple, in typical Apple fashion, was not behind. Rather, the company was secretive about its AI approach. That much was clear when the latest iPhones were introduced and AI, which the company dubbed Apple Intelligence, was a major selling point that has helped fuel sales.

Don't get this writer wrong, Nvidia is a huge deal and its influence shows no sign of slowing down, but counting Apple out for 2025 would be foolish.

Quoted | “The consumer AI revolution goes through Cupertino, California, as a $4 trillion market cap is on the horizon.”

– Wedbush analyst Dan Ives

Future in focus

Unlikely victims | Why child identity theft and fraud is on the rise

Probable ban | The tech world and content creators are preparing for TikTok's potential final days in the US

Crypto crime | Nefarious activity increases amid surge in popularity of digital assets

Sunshine squabbles | Why solar farms are raising the temperature in rural Britain

Predicting the future: Signal or noise?

Beginning in 2025, crypto mining will be banned in several locations in Russia to preserve energy resources. “The restrictions will be in force until March 15, 2031,” said a report from Tass, a Russian state media agency.

This is a signal: While there's a lot of innovation happening with the computer hardware and infrastructure needed to mine cryptocurrencies, the pace of mining shows no sign of slowing, and it's increasingly putting more of a burden on energy grids in several parts of the world. While we wait for technology to close the gap and make crypto mining (and, for that matter, artificial intelligence development) more energy efficient, expect various jurisdictions to keep a close eye on, and occasionally crack down on, crypto mining.

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