CFOs are planning smaller pay increases for employees in 2025, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

A poll of 300 CFOs and finance leaders in October 2024 found that while compensation remains a top area for budget boosts, second only to enterprise technology spending, pay increases have been slowing down for three years in a row (see Figure 1). For example, only 61% of CFOs are planning to increase average employee compensation in 2025, compared to 71% in 2024 and 86% in 2023.

AI is becoming intrinsic to every aspect of how companies operate, and we predict 2025 will bring a new age of innovation – one that moves away from chasing AI use cases to using AI to power business strategy.

BOSTON, AI remains a top priority for business leaders worldwide in 2025, with a strong focus on reaping tangible results from their AI initiatives. This year, one in three companies globally is planning to allocate over $25 million to AI.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Semi-annual Services Tracker, the Indian IT Services market grew by 6.4% year-over-year (YoY) in 1H2024, contributing 79.2% of the overall IT & Business Services market. While this growth marks a slight moderation from 6.7% in 1H2023, it reflects sustained investments in digital transformation, cloud migration, and GenAI adoption. Indian enterprises remained committed to critical IT initiatives, prioritizing cost optimization and operational efficiencies to drive competitiveness.

According to the recent IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Healthcare Industry 2025 Predictions – Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) Implications, IDC predicts that by 2027, the Asia/Pacific Healthcare industry will save up to $110 billion by significantly optimizing clinical, operational, and administrative workflows through intelligent automation.

New business models, a rapidly expanding remote workforce and increasing demand for real-time, automated systems powered by AI are driving payroll transformation, according to a new series of research reports from leading global technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG).

The worldwide Ethernet switch market recorded $10.8 billion in revenue in the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24), a 7.9% year-over-year (YoY) decline. Despite the annual drop, the market grew 6.6% from the second to the third quarters of 2024. The total worldwide enterprise and service provider (SP) router market declined 17.4% y/y to $3.1B in 3Q24. These findings are detailed in the latest editions of the International Data Corporation (IDC) Quarterly Ethernet Switch Tracker and IDC Quarterly Router Tracker.

By 2027, 40% of all customer service issues will be fully resolved by unofficial third-party tools powered by GenAI, according to Gartner, Inc.

Consumers are increasingly adopting unofficial third-party GenAI tools such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Apple Intelligence to resolve customer service issues. The deep integration of GenAI into these widely available consumer tools is driving a shift in consumer behavior, as customers prefer these platforms for their convenience and availability. As a result, customer service teams may expect a decline in official first-party service volume.

The Asia/Pacific region (including China & Japan) is experiencing a remarkable acceleration in adopting AI and Generative AI technologies, including software, services, and hardware designed for AI-driven systems. According to I nternational D ata C orporation 's latest Worldwide AI and Generative AI Spending Guide, AI and Generative AI (GenAI) investments in the region are projected to reach $110 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.0% from 2023 to 2028. This surge highlights the region’s critical influence in shaping the future of AI innovation and driving technological progress on a global scale.

Futuresource Consulting has released its latest report, providing key insights into the rapid transformation of in-car entertainment systems. As the automotive industry embraces connectivity and software-driven solutions, tech companies are making moves to capitalise on the emerging opportunities in this dynamic market.

Worldwide IT spending is expected to total $5.61 trillion in 2025, an increase of 9.8% from 2024, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc.

The automotive sector has emerged as the most disrupted major industry according to CEOs and other senior executives polled by AlixPartners in its annual review of the forces shaping the global economy.

Autos leapfrogged sectors including healthcare, technology and financial services in the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, with CEOs and other high-level executives flagging the challenges of navigating the uneven growth of electric powertrains, automated-driving technologies, and reconfigured supply networks.

The 2024 UEFA European Soccer Championship provided the stage for a groundbreaking implementation of Advanced HDR by Technicolor, marking a major milestone in modern sports broadcasting. French broadcaster M6, in collaboration with key technology partners, demonstrated the potential of Advanced HDR technology to transform visual quality while addressing the operational and economic challenges of delivering HDR content at scale. In a vidcast interview for journalists conducted by BizTechReports, experts directly involved in the implementation of the HDR UEFA event broadcast gathered to provide their insights into the lessons learned.

In this BizTechReports Vidcast, Firas Rhaiem, CEO of Knowlepsy, and Ali-Frederic Ben-Amor, Chief Strategy Officer of Knowlepsy, explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing neurological care. Knowlepsy, based in Marseille, is at the forefront of leveraging AI and data-driven insights to tackle complex neurological conditions such as epilepsy and migraines.

In the field of neurology, AI holds immense potential to enhance diagnosis, identify triggers using digital biomarkers, and deliver tailored treatments for complex conditions like epilepsy and migraines.

Knowlepsy, a Marseille-based company is among the leaders leveraging AI and data-driven insights to address challenges in neurological care. In a recent BizTechReports vidcast interview, Knowlepsy’s CEO Firas Rhaiem and Chief Strategy Officer Ali-Frederic Ben-Amor discussed their company’s mission to enhance patient outcomes and optimize healthcare systems.

The convergence of Generative AI (Gen AI) with enterprise-wide strategies is reshaping how businesses modernize operations, innovate services, and stay competitive, according to a recent BizTechReports vidcast featuring Aparna Sharma, Managing Partner of IBM Consulting, and Sunil Joshi, Distinguished Engineer at IBM Consulting.

AI integration into enterprise systems has evolved rapidly since the debut of Gen AI  two years ago. Sharma highlighted this transformation, emphasizing how Gen AI democratizes AI and enhances business strategies across industries.

The global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) will continue to rise, growing by over 15% in 2025, according to IDC ’s latest Worldwide Semiconductor Technology Supply Chain Intelligence report. Major application markets, ranging from cloud data centers to specific industry segments, are expected to undergo upgrades, heralding a new boom for the semiconductor industry.

AI and generative AI (GenAI) are driving rapid increases in electricity consumption, with data center forecasts over the next two years reaching as high as 160% growth, according to Gartner, Inc. As a result, Gartner predicts 40% of existing AI data centers will be operationally constrained by power availability by 2027.

In the evolving enterprise technology landscape, the convergence of generative AI and Zero Trust principles presents a unique set of both challenges and opportunities. To shed light on these dynamics, we had the privilege of speaking with Ben Corll, CISO in residence for Zscaler, who offered his expert perspective in the wake of a CIO.com virtual roundtable with senior technology decision-makers on how organizations can reconcile the seemingly conflicting demands of AI and cybersecurity.

PC shipments during the fourth quarter of 2024 grew 1.8% from the prior year with global volumes reaching 68.9 million shipments, according to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. For the full year, PC vendors shipped 262.7 million PCs, up 1% from 2023. Looking ahead to 2025, the PC industry has several tailwinds and headwinds, which makes for a challenging outlook and difficult demand planning.