Three transformative themes will drive AI and data-driven businesses in the year ahead: authenticity, applied Value, and agents.
This is according to Qlik, which draws on deep market analysis to share its outlook for trends in 2025.
These trends were developed by Qlik’s market intelligence team, led by Dan Sommer, with input from Qlik’s executive advisory board (EAB) – a select group of industry leaders from among Qlik’s customers. Insights from Qlik’s AI Council further reinforce the market impact of these themes and explore their broader implications.
Authenticity
In an era dominated by generative AI, businesses must address a growing crisis of authenticity.
“It’s imperative that organisations seek trust building and verification of sources,” says Dr Rumman Chowdhury, CEO and founder of Humane Intelligence. “Authentic output – based on real data produced by real people with real perspectives, rather than artificially generated ones – will be at a premium in the very near future.”
Tackling this issue will be critical for organisations aiming to maintain trust and relevance.
Applied Value
As AI adoption scales, the pressure to demonstrate clear ROI has intensified.
“We have passed the initial excitement that came with the breakthrough of generative AI, and we are now in a space of figuring out its practical applications,” notes Kelly Forbes, co-founder and executive director of AI Asia Pacific Institute. “We are not yet using AI to its full potential, but through awareness, education, and careful stewardship, we will work toward that in the year ahead.” Organisations embedding AI within real-world contexts while balancing cost and value will lead in driving tangible business outcomes.
Agents
Autonomous agents are poised to transform workflows and operations. “It won’t happen next year, but by 2030, multi-agent architectures won’t be revolutionary; it’ll be ordinary,” explains Nina Schick, author, advisor and founder of Tamang Ventures.
“Businesses, from Fortune 500 giants to two-person startups, will harness this intelligence at their fingertips.”
To prepare, companies must focus on building robust data fabrics, interconnected systems, and strategic deployment of agentic technologies.
Dr Michael Bronstein, DeepMind Professor of AI at the University of Oxford, emphasises the critical role of human agency in shaping AI’s future. “AI is not some force of nature, but our creation, and we need to shape it for our benefit. It’s not about machines replacing humans, but rather amplifying human potential and taking us to the next level,” he said, underlining the transformative opportunities AI presents when developed responsibly.
“As businesses grapple with the realities of AI integration, success will come to those who approach it as a strategic imperative, not a trend,” says James Fisher, chief strategy officer at Qlik. “Building smart, interoperable data ecosystems lays the groundwork for operational excellence while enabling businesses to uncover entirely new opportunities for growth and innovation. This is the tipping point for organisations ready to lead.”