By Yogin Patel
In the fast-evolving landscape of 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to redefine the way businesses operate, innovate, and connect with their customers. As AI technology continues to mature, it moves beyond merely automating processes to becoming a central driver of business transformation. The momentum from previous years, where AI-driven solutions made significant inroads into industries like healthcare, finance, and retail, is set to accelerate. This year, AI is not just a tool but an integral part of strategic decision-making.
As we look ahead, three key trends are expected to dominate the AI landscape, shaping the future of business operations and competitive advantage.
Scaling operations with built-in AI: In 2025, the demand for meeting evolving customer expectations and optimising operational efficiency is steering businesses towards leveraging AI-powered automation. One prominent approach gaining traction is the concept of ‘built-in AI’, where artificial intelligence is seamlessly embedded into workflows to enhance productivity and future-proof business operations.
Agentic-AI will streamline complex decision making: The adoption of agentic AI, where multiple AI systems work cohesively to streamline decision-making processes, is gaining momentum in 2025. This approach empowers businesses to orchestrate intelligent, autonomous AI systems capable of independently understanding, planning, and executing decisions, thereby optimising workflows and driving informed choices.
Whether for optimising supply chains, streamlining customer support, or enhancing financial operations, orchestrating intelligent, autonomous AI systems capable of understanding, planning, and executing decisions independently will provide businesses with a significant competitive advantage: leaner workflows that drive faster and more informed decisions.
Generative AI will drive ROI across industries: Last year, Gen AI continued to disrupt industries as adoption surged from 55% to 75%. In 2025, its impact will be especially notable in sectors like financial services, media, retail, and mobility, where it is already delivering tangible ROI.
Its demonstrated influence on driving scalability, streamlined decision-making, and delivering tangible ROI positions AI as a central pillar of business success in a competitive environment. A key barrier remains in reaping its full capabilities: the wide talent gap across industries. Over 2 in 5 professionals cite a lack of skilled employees, which remains a significant barrier to leveraging AI capabilities. The writing is on the wall: The opportunity is immense, but the only way forward lies in fostering a culture of curiosity shaped by two-way learning from teams on-ground as well as consistent investments in talent development and training that will drive a synergistic impact on adoption across industries.
The author is VP, AI engineering, at Sprinklr.