Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2025. Read them in this 17th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
As we round the corner into 2025, experts from
AI-driven cloud networking leader Extreme Networks
predict what will hold our attention in the new year – from Agentic AI to
networking consolidation to cybersecurity.
The
Future of Tech
According to Brendan Bonner, Innovation Lead
in the Office of the CTO at Extreme, the top three technologies people will be
talking about in 2025 are Agentic AI, hybrid computing, and post-quantum.
“Without a doubt, the top technology that
industries will be focusing on is getting to the next stage of GenAI using
Agentic AI. While previous changes focused on optimization and efficiency, the
stage is now set for having a multitude of expert AI agents, each feeding data
from industry-specific knowledge and data stores, bridging the gap between the
general knowledge in LLMs and the plethora of data generated in the last
decade.”
In 2024, Norman Rice, CCO at Extreme, observed that “many
organizations assumed AI adoption would deliver ?automation for anything and
everything.’ As reality has set in, AI in the enterprise is evolving more
toward incremental efficiency improvements to existing processes, rather than
wholesale disruption or replacement. As the AI hype cycle enters the trough of
disillusionment, companies will shift focus to more practical, ROI-driven uses
of the technology. AI is much more likely to deliver value in specific,
well-defined use cases, leading to a more pragmatic approach in networking and
security. This includes faster certification for specific network technologies
(which helps workers obtain skills in the face of uncertainty), more accurate
detection of real-time IT issues, and other productivity improvements.”
Alongside advancements in AI, Bonner believes
hybrid computing – not to be confused with hybrid working – will take center
stage in the coming year. “While GPT-based systems will continue to provide
human interfaces for enterprises, the complexity of what they are expected to
deliver will increase well beyond current capabilities. This requires working
with a hybrid model of cloud, on-prem infrastructure, edge computing, quantum
computing, and next-generation networking. This new paradigm will prioritize privacy,
security, and performance, enabling more robust and agile infrastructure.”
“The term ?post-quantum cryptography’ will
become commonplace in 2025,” Bonner added. “While the quantum era is still on
the horizon, the ?harvest now, decrypt later’ threat to current cryptography
will highlight the need to develop quantum-secure algorithms as soon as
possible. This will impact everywhere secure data has to flow, over public,
private, wired, and wireless.”
Consolidation
in the Network Industry
Carla Guzzetti, SVP of Product Marketing and
Customer Experience at Extreme, predicts that “the network industry in 2025
will be a dynamic landscape driven by consolidation, AI, and design. Expect
fewer, but more powerful players as industry giants continue to merge. AI will
revolutionize network operations by automating routine tasks and optimizing
performance. However, the ethical use of AI will be crucial, ensuring
transparency and fairness. Design will become the secret sauce, simplifying
complex networks and tailoring experiences to individual needs. Network
administrators will benefit from more intuitive interfaces and personalized
dashboards, thanks to AI-driven insights. So, as networks become more
intricate, the user experience will become more minimalist, streamlined, and
efficient.”
Rice predicts that this “convergence of networking and security
technologies will drive more organizations to adopt integrated platforms. While
this shift won’t happen overnight, IT organizations will embrace the promise of
unifying applications, features, and capabilities, creating a seamless
environment where workflows, common services and data are fully integrated and
easily managed. This trend will accelerate the growth of Managed Service
Providers (MSPs) and IT partners, as businesses seek comprehensive solutions
and expertise in managing these complex systems.”
As organizations continue to deal with the
fast-paced AI and quantum landscape, tech industries – especially networking –
will have to adapt to fit the needs of modern enterprises. Extreme Networks
executives predict that this will cause a convergence of networking, AI, and
security technologies in 2025, bringing about a new era of integrated,
user-friendly solutions.
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