Developing AI is expensive. OpenAI revealed that training ChatGPT-4 alone cost over $100 million—and that’s just for the training process.
The infrastructure behind it required 30,000 Nvidia GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), each priced between $10,000 and $15,000, amounting to a staggering $300 million to $450 million in hardware costs alone.
But in the last 2 weeks, China’s DeepSeek trained its model for under $6 million – A 95% cost reduction.
Why it matters
Lower costs mean AI will be cheaper and more accessible to everyone. There will be more AI options, leading to faster improvements. AI will be everywhere, making life easier for everyone. Companies will also make more money using fewer resources.
This is one of the top five AI trends you need to know. Listed below are the rest.
Top 5 AI trends for 2025
At first, AI seemed like it would only benefit the elite and the rich by cutting costs. But as with any technology it becomes commoditized and democratized for everyone as the game changes. And those costs head towards zero. That means cost effective AI for everyone.
To put this into context we have already seen this happen across other technology industries:
- The web gave us access to the world of information.
- Social media gave us the platforms to reach the world with our information. and without paying the media mogul gatekeepers.
- AI takes it to the next level and synthesizes that information into answers with a simple prompt.
Here are the 5 Top AI trends for 2025 that may impact your business and why it matters for you:
Trend 1: Rise of AI agents
I have put this as the #1 trend in 2025. AI Agents are the AI actors and apps that can help humans take ideas and act on them.
In 2022, we saw the rise of the AI chatbots that were very ‘chatty’. And ChatGPT was the breakout app. Lots of ideation and content creation. But then we had to take that and use it and publish it. But the innate human nature of procrastination has stopped many of us acting on the technology.
AI agents have progressed from basic chatbots to autonomous systems capable of managing complex tasks, such as scheduling and software development. These agents operate with greater autonomy, simplifying tasks in both professional and personal settings. However, their increased capabilities necessitate robust oversight to prevent potential errors, especially in sensitive applications.
(Source – time.com)
Why this trend matters for your business
A business using an AI agent can automate 80% of its sales outreach using an AI agent that books meetings, follows up, and customizes responses—freeing the sales team for high-value conversations.
Action steps for businesses:
- Adopt AI assistants for scheduling, customer support, and task management.
- Explore AI-powered sales & marketing automation to generate leads and personalize outreach.
An example of a leading app for this trend – Devin by Cognition AI
Devin is the world’s first AI software engineer, capable of autonomously coding, debugging, and deploying software. It represents the rise of fully autonomous AI agents replacing technical roles.
How businesses can use it:
- Automate software development—Devin can write and fix code without human intervention.
- Scale app development at lower costs, reducing reliance on expensive dev teams.
- Use AI-powered agents for repetitive business processes (e.g., bug fixes, internal tool).
Trend 2: Emergence of cost-effective AI Models
The development of advanced AI models at reduced costs has democratized access to AI technology. Notably, China’s DeepSeek released the DeepSeek-R1 model, achieving performance comparable to leading models but at a fraction of the development cost. This shift challenges the traditional investment-heavy approach to AI development and opens opportunities for smaller enterprises to leverage AI capabilities. (Source – nypost.com)
Why this trend matters for your business
Instead of spending millions training their own models, companies can now license AI or use open-source alternatives (e.g., Meta’s Llama, DeepSeek, Mistral) at a fraction of the cost.
Action steps for your business:
- Leverage AI tools (e.g., AI content generation, automated customer service) to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
- If you’re in SaaS, consider integrating AI features into your product offerings.
An example of a leading app for this trend- DeepSeek AI
DeepSeek is leading the cost-reduction wave in AI with affordable and high-performance models rivaling GPT-4 but at a fraction of the cost.
Trend 3: Integration of Multimodal AI
AI systems are increasingly capable of processing and generating multiple forms of data, including text, images, and audio. This multimodal integration enhances the versatility and applicability of AI across various industries, enabling more comprehensive and context-aware applications. (Source – cloud.google.com)
Why this trend matters for your business
A fashion retailer lets customers upload a photo of an outfit—AI analyzes the style and suggests similar clothing from its catalog.
Action steps for businesses:
- Adopt AI assistants for scheduling, customer support, and task management.
- Explore AI-powered sales & marketing automation to generate leads and personalize outreach
An example of a leading app for this trend – Runway ML
Runway ML is a multimodal AI platform that generates realistic AI videos, images, and effects from text prompts—perfect for marketing and creative businesses.
How businesses can use it:
Create AI-generated marketing videos & ads (ideal for Shuttlerock!).
Enhance social media content with AI-powered visuals.
Automate product videos for e-commerce stores.
Example: Nike used Runway ML to create AI-powered advertisements without traditional video production costs.
Trend 4: Specialized AI applications
There’s a growing focus on developing specialized AI models tailored for specific industries or tasks. For instance, IBM is investing in creating smaller, reliable AI tools designed for particular use cases, contrasting with the development of general-purpose AI models. This approach aims to provide more efficient and effective solutions by addressing unique industry requirements. (Source – time.com)
Why this trend matters for your business
Companies are shifting from general AI models (like ChatGPT) to AI built specifically for industries (healthcare, finance, law, logistics)
- Niche AI tools will outperform general AI, leading to new industry-specific software.
- Regulated industries (finance, law, healthcare) will finally adopt AI, as these specialized models address compliance issues.
- Companies will build internal AI models trained on their proprietary data, giving
Action steps for businesses
- Identify industry-specific AI tools that can give your business an edge over competitors.
- Train AI on internal data to create a proprietary advantage in decision-making and automation
An example of a leading AI App for this trend – Hippocratic AI
Hippocratic AI is a healthcare-focused AI trained on medical safety and compliance, unlike general AI models. It powers AI medical assistants that assist doctors, schedule appointments, and process patient data securely.
How businesses can use it
- Hospitals & clinics can automate patient communications & medical record analysis.
- Healthtech startups can integrate AI-powered diagnostics.
- Insurance companies can streamline claims processing using AI health assessments.
Example: Instead of a generic chatbot, healthcare businesses can now use HIPAA-compliant AI assistants tailored for medical applications.
Trend 5: Increased government investment and regulation
Governments worldwide are recognizing the strategic importance of AI, leading to substantial investments and the formulation of regulatory frameworks. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a €109 billion investment plan to bolster AI projects in France, aiming to enhance Europe’s competitiveness in the AI sector.
Concurrently, there is a push to establish guidelines that ensure the ethical and safe deployment of AI technologies. (Source – ft.com)
Why this trend matters for your business
Governments are pouring billions into AI funding, while also enforcing stricter regulations on AI development and usage.
- AI adoption will accelerate as government-backed initiatives fund AI startups and infrastructure.
- Stricter compliance requirements (data privacy, bias regulations) will shape how AI can be used in business.
- Businesses in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, legal, security) will need AI governance frameworks to avoid penalties.
An example of a leading AI App for this trend – Truera
Truera helps businesses ensure AI fairness, compliance, and transparency—a critical issue as governments increase AI regulations worldwide.
How businesses can use it:
- Audit AI models for bias & compliance (vital for finance, law, and healthcare industries).
- Ensure AI-generated decisions are explainable (key for regulated sectors like lending & hiring).
- Meet AI transparency laws by using Truera to assess risk & bias in automated systems.
Example: Banks using AI for loan approvals must now prove their AI isn’t biased—Truera helps ensure compliance before regulators step in.
Going deeper
As AI development costs drop, new opportunities are emerging across industries. Here’s how you can leverage these trends as a business leader, entrepreneur, or investor.
Here are 5 ways to capitalize on the AI trends for 2025:
1. Build or integrate AI-powered products
With AI models becoming cheaper, businesses can add AI to existing products or create entirely new AI-driven tools without huge upfront costs.
How to capitalize
- Add AI automation to existing services (e.g., customer support chatbots, marketing automation).
- Use AI-generated video ads (such as Shuttlerock) to increase engagement.
- Create personalized AI tools for niche markets (e.g., AI content creation for specific industries).
Example
Canva integrated AI design tools, making it a top competitor to Adobe—this is a prime moment to integrate AI into creative tools.
2. Invest in AI startups & infrastructure
The drop in AI costs means more startups are entering the market—many will disrupt traditional industries.
How to capitalize
- Look for startups leveraging AI in unique ways (not just another chatbot but AI-enhanced SaaS, content, or workflow tools).
- Invest in AI infrastructure companies (cloud computing, data centers, AI chips).
- Watch for companies using AI to solve real business problems (e.g., legal AI for contract review, AI-powered market research).
Example
Nvidia’s success wasn’t just about AI but providing the infrastructure AI depends on. The next Nvidia could be in AI processing, security, or automation.
3. Monetize AI-generated content & automation
AI-generated content (text, images, videos) is becoming cheaper and higher quality—creating new business models around AI-driven media.
How to capitalize
- Build AI-powered digital products (eBooks, AI-assisted copywriting, AI-generated stock footage).
- Use AI to scale content production for social media, blogs, and video marketing.
- Offer AI-enhanced subscription models (e.g., exclusive AI-curated reports, AI-generated ad creatives).
Example
OpenAI and Jasper monetized AI-powered writing—who’s doing the same for AI video, voice, and storytelling? That’s where the next goldmine is.
4. AI as a competitive advantage in business
As AI gets cheaper, businesses not using AI will fall behind. The winners will integrate AI to cut costs and improve efficiency.
How to capitalize
- Use AI for decision-making (predictive analytics, market trend forecasting).
- Automate repetitive tasks (customer service, invoicing, data entry).
Example
Companies that use AI-powered personalization (like Netflix, Amazon) dominate their industries—the same can apply to AI-powered ad targeting in video and social media.
5. Build & sell AI training services or expertise
Businesses need AI but don’t know how to implement it—there’s a huge gap in AI education & integration services.
How to capitalize
- Offer AI consulting (help businesses integrate AI into marketing, sales, and automation).
- Sell AI training courses (help teams adopt AI tools).
- Create AI-powered workflow optimizations (custom AI automations for companies).
Example
Many people are using AI at a basic level—help them use it like pros and monetize your expertise.
The bottom line
AI is the New Oil—It’s Time to Drill.
AI’s lower costs open the door for smaller companies & entrepreneurs to compete. The real value isn’t in building AI models—it’s in applying them to solve real business problems. AI-powered automation, personalization, and content creation will be key revenue drivers in 2025.
- AI will be essential for business efficiency—companies that don’t use it will fall behind.
- AI-powered automation will replace manual workflows, freeing employees for higher-value tasks.
- AI-generated content will dominate marketing, sales, and customer engagement.
- Specialized AI will disrupt industries, offering smarter, more compliant, and more powerful solutions.
- Regulations will become a key factor in how businesses use AI—early adopters who prepare for compliance now will win.
These 5 AI trends are transforming many businesses today.
Over to you.