In 2025, the AI industry transitioned from grandiose predictions of superintelligence to a more grounded reality, where AI systems are judged by their practical applications, costs, and societal impacts. The market's "winner-takes-most" attitude has led to an unsustainable bubble, with potential for significant market correction. AI advancements, such as video synthesis models, highlight the shift from viewing AI as an omnipotent oracle to recognizing it as a tool with both benefits and drawbacks. This year marked a focus on reliability, integration, and accountability over spectacle and disruption, emphasizing the importance of human decisions in the deployment and use of AI technologies. This matters because it underscores the importance of responsible AI development and deployment, focusing on practical benefits and ethical considerations.
