AI Predictions for 2025 - Chris McNulty
Polaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
Release Date: 02/06/2025
Polaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. Former Intrazone co-hosts Chris McNulty and Mark Kashman reunite on Polaris to unpack the biggest news from the Microsoft 365 Community Conference—AI skills, Copilot's evolution, SharePoint's 25th anniversary—and reflect on the enduring power of community in the modern workplace. Takeaways AI adoption vs. readiness gap. Chris cites industry research showing 91% of organizations now use at least one AI technology...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. Chris McNulty and Microsoft MVP Andrew Connell explore the explosive rise of "vibe coding" — AI-assisted development from natural-language prompts — and debate the real-world risks, rewards, and strategic implications for today's business and technology leaders. Takeaways Vibe Coding Has Gone Mainstream. AI-assisted coding is no longer experimental. A GitHub survey found 92% of U.S. developers use AI coding tools at work,...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. In this episode of Polaris, we explore Microsoft’s game-changing March 2026 announcements – including the Microsoft 365 E7 “Frontier Suite,” Agent 365 for AI governance, and the new Copilot Cowork capability – and unpack what these innovations mean for business and technology leaders navigating the AI-powered future. Key Takeaways Microsoft 365 E7 (“Frontier Suite”): Microsoft introduced Microsoft 365 E7, the...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. The Synozur 2026 AI Report lands with a clear verdict: the global AI market is on a path to $944 billion by 2030 — but most organizations are stuck in the middle, scoring just 260 out of 500 on AI maturity, while a small group of leaders pull decisively ahead. Takeaways The AI market is enormous — and the range of estimates tells you everything. Global AI spend in 2026 is projected anywhere from $244 billion to $2 trillion,...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. Glenn Poulos, co-founder of Gap Wireless and author of Never Sit in the Lobby, shares how he built and sold multiple businesses across three decades, reveals why face-to-face relationships still matter in the AI age, and explains how mid-market companies can leverage technology without losing their human touch. Takeaways Fear of poverty drives action more than fear of failure – Glenn's entrepreneurial journey started when his...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. Four Synozur leaders - Michelle Boyd, Michelle Caldwell, Joshua Christensen & Shari Oswald – join Chris McNulty on a special holiday edition of Polaris to reflect on 2025's seismic shifts in AI, the gap between technology and organizational maturity, and why 2026 will separate those who merely adopted tools from those who fundamentally transformed how work gets done. KEY TAKEAWAYS Agentic AI arrived in force in...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. Summary Larry Namer, co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, shares his remarkable journey with Chris McNulty on Polaris - from working underground installing cables in Manhattan to building a multi-billion-dollar global media empire that transformed celebrity culture, pioneered red carpet coverage, and expanded entertainment across 140 countries—plus his insights on AI, thinking globally, and why passion alone isn't always...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty interviews Ed DeAngelis, CEO of EDA Contractors, who shares his journey of transforming a roofing company into a leader in the construction industry through a focus on servant leadership and a people-first approach. Ed discusses the challenges faced in the construction sector, the importance of creating a win-win culture, and how humanity plays a crucial role in business success. He...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty discusses the latest innovations announced at Microsoft's Ignite conference, focusing on AI advancements in Microsoft 365. Key topics include the introduction of Work IQ, the centralized management platform Agent 365, new features in Office apps, enhancements in Outlook for AI powered scheduling, and the role of SharePoint in AI-driven collaboration. The episode also highlights the...
info_outlinePolaris Pathways - a Synozur podcast
is a production of – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease. In this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty speaks with Adam Harmetz, Corporate Vice President for SharePoint at Microsoft. They discuss Adam's career journey, and the significant role of AI in knowledge management. The conversation delves into how SharePoint is evolving as a knowledge engine for AI, the importance of community feedback in product development, and the future of information management. Adam shares insights on...
info_outlineIn this episode of Polaris, Chris McNulty shares predictions for AI in 2025. He shares insights on the wide-scale adoption of AI, its impact on the workforce, and the rising trends in AI technology. Tune in to hear Chris' predictions about Omni AI, sustainable green AI, workforce disruptions, the rise of personal knowledge chatbots – and even Super Bowl LIX.
Keywords
AI, predictions, Omni AI, Green AI, autonomous agents, personal chatbots, technology trends, workforce impact, 2025
Takeaways
- 2025 is expected to see wide-scale adoption of AI.
- Omni AI will integrate knowledge across multiple platforms.
- Sustainability in AI is becoming increasingly important.
- Organizations need to manage fears surrounding AI disruption.
- AI's energy consumption is a growing concern..
- Ethics and quality will be critical in AI deployment.
Sound Bites
- “Gen AI chatbots need not be limited to a single source of information. Most organizations have dozens of sources of data. Customers need a managed way to create an indexed source of data for LLMs and RAG systems. …[A]n emerging ISV or two will successfully introduce solutions to unify, enrich, and secure cross-platform information for Gen AI. “
- "Omni AI will empower better decisions."
- "Anxiety about AI will remain high in 2025."
References
Next week, on Tuesday, February 11 at 8:00AM PST we’ll host our webinar How to Succeed with your Copilot Rollout. You can sign up now at https://aka.synozur.com/Copilot2025 2025bb
Clear People published their collections of expert KM predictions in their eBook The Trends Shaping Knowledge in 2025
The webinar with Katya Linossi, Barry Byrne, Marjan Hermkes and me can be found on demand at The Trends Shaping Knowledge in 2025
Harvard Business Review published their source research on app context switching recently.
Last year, IDC published their research on AI-Driven Growth in Datacenter Energy Consumption.
EY’s research in AI-induce workplace anxiety is also helpful: EY research shows most US employees feel AI anxiety (the title sums it up, doesn’t it?)
The size of the AI chatbot market was forecast by AIM Research in The Chatbot Market: Trends, Growth, and Key Players (AIM Research, 2024)
Credits
Polaris is produced with the help of our friends at Riverside.fm. Our theme song, “Alternative Dream” is provided courtesy of Adobe.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI Predictions for 2025
00:36 Knowledge Management and the NFL
03:13 Omni AI: The Future of Integrated AI Systems
06:26 Green AI: Sustainability in Artificial Intelligence
07:45 Anxiety and Workforce Disruption from AI Agents
09:04 Personal Knowledge Chatbots: The Next Frontier
12:53 Upcoming Events
13:47 Conclusion
14:38 New Chapter