Technology is more than just a tool – it’s woven into practically every part of our daily lives. And it’s advancing fast, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), which is set to play an even bigger role in 2025. “AI will make our home and office environments more intuitive, efficient and responsive, moving beyond simple automation to provide truly personalised and anticipatory experiences,” says Damian Cavanagh, managing director at Electronic Living. From laptops that double as your virtual assistant and smart-home devices that automatically set the perfect room temperature before you’ve walked through the door to smart gadgets that monitor your health, these are the tech trends predicted to shape 2025. 

AI Takes a Bigger Leap Forward

Get ready for a new age of personal computing in 2025, as AI weaves itself into laptops and tablets. Using predictive automation, devices are able to anticipate what you need next based on your past behaviours, transforming your workday in the process. “In a nutshell, this technology automates many of those routine tasks, allowing you to work a lot faster and more efficiently, so you can enjoy less time in front of a screen and more time with those you love,” says Pulkit Agrawal, tech expert and founder of SEO agency UR Digital. 

The AI-powered Microsoft Copilot+ PCs, for example, have a ‘photographic memory’ for everything you’ve worked on previously on the device, allowing it to offer personalised suggestions, content and images tailored to your needs. “ChatGPT brought AI to the mainstream, but Copilot+ takes it to a whole new level,” says Pulkit. “Its ability to scan your internal documents to come up with intelligent answers based on past data is a game changer. You can get a lot more done in a fraction of the time, without having to remember every little detail.” 

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 tablet takes touchscreen to the next level, letting you circle and search the meaning of unfamiliar words and terms, summarise complicated documents or translate notes into another language, without needing to switch screens so you can stay in the flow. Plus, Samsung’s latest laptops and tablets include Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, as an inbuilt feature.

SEE ALSO: The Benefits of an AI Laptop for Work, Study and Play

What to Try

Three people sitting on lounge chairs in a bright living room setting and using a tablet to control their smart home devices.

Level Up Your Smart Home Technology

You might already have a smart doorbell so you can monitor your deliveries from afar, but emerging tech trends will see smart home tech getting even smarter – and work more closely together. Thanks to a cross-platform standard called Matter, more and more smart devices will be able to communicate seamlessly, even if they’re from different brands. With the standard already supported on more than 20 different device types, including TVs and media players, security sensors and aircon controllers, controlling your smart home will be much more straightforward, no matter the app or voice assistant you are using. 

“Cross-platform compatibility is one of the biggest tech trends of 2025,” says Damian. “It allows devices from different manufacturers, such as Google and Amazon, to work together smoothly, creating a more cohesive and user-friendly smart environment.” For example, smart locks could be integrated with security cameras so you can visually verify visitors before letting them in, says Matt Furnell, head technician at JFK Automation.

Other advanced smart home products will make it easier to track energy consumption in your home or office, ultimately helping you to save money and benefit the environment. Think smart lighting that adjusts to suit your circadian rhythms, or smart power plugs that switch off standby mode when your devices aren’t being used. Home appliances, like refrigerators and washing machines, will also benefit from built-in AI to monitor things like real-time energy usage data to pick the best time to pop on a cycle or autonomously ordering groceries you’re running low on. And when it comes to a home that runs itself, expect robotic vacuums and mops to get even smarter, too, with advancements meaning they can scan for cleanliness and rectify a dusty floor on their own.‍

SEE ALSO: Smart Home Products for an Effective Home Office‍

What to Try

A man in a grey shirt checking his smartwatch while exercising on a tree-lined path in a park setting

The New Health Tracking

“Fitness wearables are great for getting the most from your workouts, and in 2025 they will give you even richer insights into your health,” says Pulkit. The new Google Pixel Watch 3 uses AI to ‘read’ your goals and heart rate variability to create personalised run recommendations and give you on-wrist guidance, including cues for when to sprint, pace and cool down. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 uses AI-powered algorithms to analyse data from built-in sensors to provide wellness tips throughout the day, plus insights into your overall health and fitness level, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra measures your sleep quality, blood oxygen level, BMI metrics and more to set customised fitness and wellness goals. 

In 2025, health and fitness tech will show up in unexpected places around our homes, too. Think smart mirrors that measure your height, weight, heart rate, BMI and even your mood, and ones that double as a workout screen loaded with pre-recorded classes by world-class instructors. “You’ll also see beds with AI sensors that will track your biometrics and adjust the mattress so you can achieve optimal sleep, and ones that will alert you to any health issues. These smart beds could also communicate with other home appliances, like your air conditioning, to adjust your bedroom temperature during the night,” says Matt.‍

What to Try

Towards Circular and Sustainable Technology

We’ve already seen a significant shift towards a more circular economy, in which devices and other tech materials are kept in use for longer through repair and reuse. This will continue to make great strides, says Matt, with consumers increasingly interested in the growing offering of recycling options, as well as extending the life of their current products. In fact, research suggests that whether a product and its packaging is recyclable or not is an essential factor shoppers consider when making a purchase. Initiatives such as Officeworks’ People and Planet Positive range of products, which features items that are made from fast-growing renewables, can be refilled or reused or are recyclable, is one way to make more conscious choices. We can also anticipate smarter tech to reduce waste while helping to make your life easier. “Expect to see AI-driven taps that reduce water wastage by monitoring your water consumption and using AI analytics to predict and pour the precise amount of water at the right temperature for a cup of tea, a perfect bath or to brush your teeth,” says Matt. ‍

Bring it Back or Trade It In

Not sure what to do with your old tech and want to help reduce waste? Officeworks’ in-store Bring it Back program collects a variety of items for repair, reuse or recycling, including computer and audio accessories, such as cables, keyboards, monitors, speakers and headphones, as well as ink cartridges and pens and markers.

Plus, if your old smartphone, tablet, smart watch or laptop is in working order, it could be traded in for an instant gift card via Officeworks’ Trade In program. 

Did You Know? Edible cutlery is predicted to gain traction in 2025 – a biodegradable product made from natural materials that lets you savour a meal and then snack on the utensils. Yum!  

SEE ALSO: Tech Advice From Geeks2U Experts

Improved Blockchain Technology

As more and more of our transactions are done digitally (30 per cent of all transactions are predicted to be via digital wallets, QR codes and account to account by 2027, according to ANZ), data security is more important than ever. Blockchain is considered one of the most secure ways to manage data and transactions. It’s an online database of information that is extremely difficult to alter. Once a “block” of information is stored and recorded, it’s linked to the other “blocks” in the database, and a new “block” is attached for the next bit of information. It’s especially useful for managing cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin; new styles of “wallets” incorporating this tech make it easy to manage these transaction on the go.‍

What to try

SEE ALSO: Aubrey Daquinag: My Tech Travel Essentials