AI is everywhere—invading your dinner-party conversations, shaping industries, and transforming how we live and work. It’s no surprise that artificial intelligence draws so much attention: It’s now baked into almost every piece of technology, making our lives more connected, creative, and efficient.
I’ve spent over seven years working with AI tools, and I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the game-changing—across industries ranging from music and design to manufacturing and health care.
So, what’s next? As developments in artificial intelligence keep pushing the boundaries of our imaginations, here’s what I see coming this year and beyond.
1. AI will help a musical artist win a Grammy
Okay, you may think I’m coming in hot with this one, but bear with me. We’ve already seen the technology making its way into mainstream music, with AI enabling The Beatles to put out “Now and Then” just over a year ago.
Artificial intelligence let the living Beatles—Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr—collaborate with their departed bandmates, John Lennon and George Harrison. “Now and Then” was a hit worldwide, topping the charts across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific.
What was revolutionary in 2023 is now becoming commonplace. Underscoring how AI is becoming an everyday component of creativity across sectors, musicians and songwriters will increasingly use it to write and record tracks. I am intrigued by Suno’s AI music tool, which lets users refine compositions in ways that weren’t possible just a year ago. It’s worth noting that it won’t be easy to merge traditional institutions and new tech, but I believe they will find ways of working together.
I love music (and DJ whenever I get the chance), and it’s been amazing to see how these tools inspire people without traditional artistic training to produce incredible works. It’s just a matter of time before the tech helps someone reach the Grammy podium. AI could even spark a new award category: “Best Robot Composition,” anyone? Why not in 2025?
2. The rise of AI-native creatives
AI tools are evolving, enabling creators to manipulate every aspect of their creative output from tone to visual style—with unprecedented precision. Design is truly being democratized, and AI is enabling an entirely new wave of creativity.
In most cases, creatives are adapting to AI and learning how to use it on the fly. But a younger generation is rising through the ranks. The tech industry is already talking about AI-native founders, and there’s one creative agency, Supernatural AI, being dubbed as an AI-native shop. So this year, we’ll see AI-native creatives leading entirely new genres of business, art, music, and storytelling.
Expect AI to empower not only creators but also their audiences, who will shape experiences tailored to their preferences—whether it’s personalized music, dynamic art, or unique narratives crafted just for them. Beyond this, entirely new creative movements will emerge, blending human imagination and AI’s precision, such as human-AI performances or even new artistic genres.
3. New roles will emerge
AI isn’t replacing jobs inasmuch as it’s creating new ones. These roles will be the first in a total transformation of what “work” looks like.
One of the most intriguing roles I’ve encountered is AI workflow engineers: professionals who specialize in managing automated agents to accomplish tasks and projects. These experts orchestrate free-flowing collaboration between AI systems, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and alignment with organizational goals. This will become an in-demand specialty as companies explore new ways to integrate AI into their daily operations.
From a marketing perspective, AI-SEO specialists will also be sought after. Brands must now optimize their content not just for search engines but for AI assistants, creating a new opportunity for AI-optimized content marketing that ensures their offerings are surfaced precisely when consumers need them.
4. AI will handle “night shifts”
This year will mark the normalization of overnight AI workflows. AI agents will handle repetitive tasks, such as data analysis and report generation, so teams can start their day with already-prepared insights.
This seamless integration of human-AI collaboration will lead to flatter organizational structures. Leaders will spend less time on bureaucracy and more time fostering creativity and collaboration.
AI’s ability to refine concepts and even suggest iterations in real-time will, as one example, free designers to focus on higher-order thinking, such as crafting narratives and exploring bold, original ideas. This shift will also drive creative processes and make them more accessible, enabling teams with varied skill levels to contribute to design projects, breaking down traditional silos and fostering richer collaboration.
5. AI-enhanced decision trees will revolutionize leadership
AI is quietly reshaping decision-making, particularly at the executive level. Leaders no longer need to rely solely on intuition; instead, AI offers refined decision trees, presenting a structured way to analyze options and identify blind spots.
A recent PwC survey reveals that 54% of executives report using AI for decision-making has enhanced their organization’s productivity. This matters because it highlights AI’s tangible impact on streamlining operations and driving efficiency, positioning it as a critical tool for staying competitive in an increasingly data-driven business landscape.
In my own work, I’ve seen how AI can sift through countless possibilities, narrowing them down to actionable strategies. Whether it’s identifying hidden risks or synthesizing an entire team’s outputs overnight, this AI-human collaboration will empower leaders to act faster and smarter next year and well into the future.
6. Education will shift from answers to actionable thinking
Much like calculators revolutionized arithmetic, AI is transforming how we learn. Tools like generative AI turn writing essays or solving complex problems into instantaneous productions. But this raises the question: What should schools teach when machines can do so much of the “work”?
Education must emphasize skills machines can’t replicate, such as creativity, critical thinking, and oral rhetoric. Students need to learn how to craft persuasive arguments, understand nuanced counterpoints, and design compelling presentations. At the same time, they should be taught to use AI as a tool for creative problem-solving, helping them shape and refine their ideas in collaboration with technology.
Courses should also focus on AI safety and developing research skills, equipping students to critically evaluate AI-generated content. “Don’t take what AI gives you as truth” should replace the old adage about the dangers of citing Wikipedia for research.
7. Sustainability will be AI’s next frontier
The convergence of AI and sustainability is one of the most exciting opportunities of this decade. AI will be critical in tracking carbon emissions, optimizing energy use, and accelerating renewable energy deployment.
One example that really fascinates me: AI-powered drones monitoring biodiversity in fragile ecosystems. These tools don’t just gather data; they empower grassroots efforts by providing communities with actionable insights.
We’re also on the cusp of a revolution in energy-efficient AI. As computational demands grow, startups innovating in low-energy AI and energy grid management will lead the charge, balancing technological advancement with environmental responsibility.
These are just some of the ways I see AI reshaping our world this year. Beyond the next 12 months, the next few years will be defined not just by technological breakthroughs, but by how we choose to adapt, collaborate, and innovate alongside them.
Read more:
- Adobe’s Scott Belsky: Reimagining the artist’s signature so creative people can thrive—even as AI content explodes
- Elon Musk says AI has already gobbled up all human-produced data to train itself and now relies on hallucination-prone synthetic data
- Honeywell CEO: AI will transform industry at scale beginning in 2025
- Autodesk CEO: AI can help the U.S. fix its crumbling infrastructure before it’s too late
- Nokia CEO: Making AI greener starts with smarter data center design
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
