Reflecting on 2025, planning for what’s next

The last three months have brought a relentless stream of developments from major AI players. So much so that we find ourselves in a curious paradox. We’re simultaneously closer to and further from our customers than ever before.

AI can create complete disconnection, inserting itself as an intermediary that obscures direct relationships. Yet it also offers unprecedented opportunity for genuine closeness.

Claude’s recent research capabilities, for instance, enable businesses to understand customer needs with a depth and nuance that was previously out of reach.

As you shape your AI strategy for the year ahead, we recommend a dual-focus approach:

1. Think in two timeframes simultaneously
Plan your 3-5 year horizon around where conversational AI is heading towards the next trajectory of world models, multimodal understanding, autonomous agents.

But build your 12-18 month roadmap around getting the fundamentals right: discoverability, visibility, and the building blocks that prepare you for what’s coming.

2. Stay strategically agile
The trajectory is clear even if the timeline isn’t. LLMs are evolving rapidly, with world models and new paradigms emerging on the horizon. Your near-term investments should create optionality, not lock you into today’s architectures.

Focus on composable systems and portable data strategies that can adapt as the landscape shifts.

The brands that will thrive aren’t those trying to predict every turn, but those building foundations flexible enough to move with it.