Welcome to the 2025 edition of your Sonae Digital Trends report, continuing the journey we started in 2022. As per previous years, our methodology relied on curating insights from various credible sources, from academia to consulting firms and global institutions to leading companies, from May 2024 until April 2025. Once again, many of the trends we reviewed in those reports reflected a snapshot of recent developments rather than bold projections into the future—as it used to happen pre-Chat GPT launch in November 2022. In sum, the future is becoming faster and more unpredictable. As our work is based directly on those reports, you might feel it also here.
If you are a returning visitor to Sonae Digital Trends, you’ll feel the structure is familiar to the previous years. Each trend in this edition is broken down into key takeaways and sub-trends, with detailed descriptions and practical use cases to bring them to life at the very end. In addition, in each trend, you can always check the sources of that content, and in the Sources tab, access them directly for a deeper understanding of the given topic.
Please note that the original reports we drew from used a variety of methodologies, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, anonymized user data, and technical intelligence platforms. In addition to analyzing these reports, we integrated AI tools into our process: Perplexity.ai helped surface additional perspectives, Claude.ai guaranteed structure, and Chat GPT4o supported narrative shaping. Of course, as in previous similar exercises, we have also been honored with the expertise of some Sonae colleagues, who challenged us with their perspectives – which was immensely valuable for us to sharpen the final version.
Four years into this work, some patterns have become clearer while new shifts keep emerging. AI’s pervasive influence is undeniable, seen in trends like Embodied AI, AI Agents, and Scientific AI, where technology pushes the boundaries of interaction, autonomy, and discovery. Quantum trend ( a classic trend we have included ever since the first edition!) shows quantum computing moving closer to business relevance. At the same time, Energy Challenge captures the urgent convergence between innovation and environmental responsibility – revealing the tensions between AI-driven growth and the need for scalable, sustainable power.
At the same time, human and societal shifts are gaining weight. Good Enough Life and Balancing Reality reflect a collective reevaluation of ambition, rest, and connection in a demanding world. Meanwhile, Ambivalent Reality reminds us that trust remains a fragile currency in our digital lives. And believe us when we say we have felt this last one quite strongly while building this report. By the way, before you ask: yes, all images were AI generated.
We hope this year’s edition sparks reflection and action for you and your team. More than ever, we encourage you to explore these trends critically, challenge the assumptions, and
Join us in our yearly salute to a future together,
Your Sonae SGPS Digital Team