As we approach the final quarter of 2025 and head to 2026, we must consider the large, changing, and evolving global forces that are shaping our world, and ultimately how we use technologies like agentic AI (artificial intelligence) and the IoT (Internet of Things) in our businesses. We have reached a point where we need data to inform our actions. We need digital tools to drive our future, but we must do it in the context that we live and work in.
This is why I was so excited when a new report crossed my desk. Last month, we saw the release of the September 2025 Ipsos Global Trends report, which looks at market and technology trends on three different levels. Let’s look at each briefly.
Long range impact of macro forces: These are the known knowns. Some of the biggest changes in 2025 include a rise in economic changes and increasing geopolitical tensions; the integration of AI into our daily lives; and a greater focus on diversity, wellness, and sustainability initiatives. Narrowing in on technology, we see the rise of pervasive technology, AI and automation, exponential data, and also the toll technology has on personal and professional lives.
Closer-in shifts in society, markets, and people: These are shifts that happen in mainstream culture, with people, markets, and society as a whole and it could include opinions, attitudes, and values.
Emerging signals that cue a probable future: These are localized expressions of change. They are the things we can observe occurring in a single country or community.
The hard reality is most people—or 72%—can’t imagine their lives without the internet and 71% think we need technology to solve our problems. Dare I say addicted? And, yet there is a dichotomy here because 56% of people also think technological progress is destroying our lives. It is both at the same time: wonder and worry. Ironically, most people can’t go 24 hours without being connected to their phones.
This is something I have been espousing here at Connected World and on The Peggy Smedley Show for years. Agentic AI, the IoT, and digital transformation bring both risks and rewards—opportunities and hurdles. We can’t ignore technology, but we must proceed with caution.
As I see it, we have seen the concerns, as people drive at the peril of others on the roads failing to recognize the risks of being distracted. We fail to recognize the lack of family dinnertime with individuals glued to their phones rather than engaging in real discussions.
The report draws on some real key points. Some key questions presented by the report are:
- How do policymakers balance privacy concerns from the public with concerns about stifling innovation in the private sector?
- How can your company build trust with consumers but also navigate a conflicting, contradicting and ever-changing regulatory landscape?
- What features or messaging or both will help people lean into the wonder of technology and reduce their worries?
I would add a few questions of my own:
- How can businesses ensure digital transformation aligns with societal changes?
- What roles should companies play in educating users about the responsible use of emerging technologies?
- How do we ensure AI use remains ethical?
- How can smaller or mid-sized companies keep up with the rapid pace of change without sacrificing values or overwhelming the workforce?
The choices we make in business today will directly shape how we engage with technology tomorrow. This reminds me that while technology offers great potential, it also demands great responsibility. Business leaders and innovators must embrace both the wonder and the worry of digital transformation. It is always going to be both—risk and reward. We need to move forward with our eyes wide open, guided by data, driven by purpose, and grounded in sound, ethical decision making.
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