Evaluating 2025 Tech Forecast Accuracy

Key Takeaways

• The article reviews and grades the 2025 enterprise technology predictions made by the authors, with an overall grade of B-.
• The predictions covered various topics, including tech spending, agentic artificial intelligence, cloud, markets, data, and AI.
• Some predictions, such as the one regarding AI supercharging RPA, did not quite happen as expected, while others, like the one about IPOs slowly ramping up, were accurate.
• The authors note that grading predictions is subjective and try to identify quantifiable or binary outcomes.
• The article also touches on the importance of understanding the nuances of tech spending, the role of AI in job creation, and the growth of cloud computing.

Introduction to 2025 Predictions
The article begins by introducing the concept of reviewing and grading the 2025 enterprise technology predictions made by the authors. This is a special Breaking Analysis segment where the authors reflect on their predictions from the previous year and assess their accuracy. The predictions cover a wide range of topics, including tech spending, agentic artificial intelligence, cloud, markets, data, and AI. The authors aim to identify areas where they were correct and where they missed the mark, providing valuable insights for readers.

Grading the Predictions
The authors proceed to grade each of their predictions, providing a detailed analysis of what happened and what they got right or wrong. For example, their prediction that tech spending would increase by 5% in 2025 was graded as a C, as the actual growth was around 3-4%. On the other hand, their prediction that AI would not kill jobs in 2025 but would create jobs in the long term was graded as a C-, as the jury is still out on the impact of AI on job creation. The authors also discuss their prediction that platformization would remain a cyber theme, which was graded as a B, and their prediction that AI inference at the edge would show real revenue, which was graded as a C+.

Tech Spending and AI Adoption
The article highlights the importance of understanding the nuances of tech spending and AI adoption. The authors note that while tech spending growth was lower than expected, it is still a significant area of investment for companies. They also discuss the growth of AI adoption, particularly in areas such as agentic AI, which is still in its early stages. The authors provide insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, including the need for companies to develop strategies for AI adoption and the potential for AI to create new job opportunities.

Cloud Computing and IPOs
The article also touches on the growth of cloud computing and the IPO market. The authors note that cloud computing continues to be a major trend, with companies such as Microsoft and Amazon leading the way. They also discuss the IPO market, which was slow in the first half of 2025 but picked up in the second half. The authors provide insights into the companies that are likely to go public in the near future, including Veeam Software Group GmbH and Snyk Ltd.

Conclusion and Future Predictions
In conclusion, the article summarizes the key takeaways from the 2025 predictions and looks ahead to the future. The authors note that grading predictions is subjective and that they try to identify quantifiable or binary outcomes. They also highlight the importance of understanding the nuances of tech spending, AI adoption, and cloud computing. The article ends with a teaser for the 2026 predictions, which will be published in January. The authors invite readers to engage with the theCUBE community and join the conversation about the latest technology trends and innovations.