Models, money, two countries: the main trends in AI in 2025

Table of Contents:

• AI Madness Statistics
• Money Big and Small
• Open Source vs. Closed Models, Round 1
• Under the Sky and in the Valley
• Taxi for the AI ​​Soul
• AI as a Gift to All New Users
• Get Up for Work in the Future
• Hourly Man

According to a report from Bond, an investment fund with investments in companies such as Airbnb, Uber, Spotify, and Canva, artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented rate, exceeding any previous technological advancement. In its report, "Trends - Artificial Intelligence 2025," published in May of this year, Bond highlights several key facts that have a significant impact on the evolution of AI and its integration into our professional work.

In our reflective summary, we summarize the key and interesting findings from the study regarding the rapid growth of artificial intelligence users. We analyze the reasons for this phenomenon and consider how the geopolitical race between the United States and China is unfolding in this field. These trends highlight the importance of AI in the modern world and its impact on global relations and the economy.

AI Madness Statistics

In 2025, the world is a complex and dynamic reality. Technological progress continues to develop rapidly, penetrating all spheres of life. Artificial intelligence and automation are becoming an integral part of everyday life, changing approaches to work and interaction between people. Smart cities with developed infrastructure provide a comfortable and safe living environment, and environmental initiatives are becoming a priority for many countries.

At the same time, the importance of sustainable development and climate care is growing. Public consciousness is gradually changing, and more and more people realize the need to take care of natural resources. New energy sources, such as solar and wind, are actively being introduced, helping to reduce the carbon footprint.

Significant progress is being observed in the field of medicine. Telemedicine technologies are becoming the standard, and personalized medicine is opening new horizons in the treatment of diseases. People are gaining access to high-quality medical services regardless of where they live.

Education is also undergoing changes. Distance learning and online courses are becoming commonplace, and digital literacy skills are becoming the foundation for a successful career.

Thus, the reality of 2025 combines technology, environmental initiatives, and new approaches to education and medicine, forming a more sustainable and innovative society.

• 73% of people in tests can no longer distinguish between AI and human responses.
• ChatGPT reached a million users in five days. It took the iPhone 74 days.
• China has installed more industrial robots in production than all other countries combined.
• In 2024, 223 new AI medical devices were released and approved by the FDA. 30 years ago, only one similar device was released.
• NVIDIA processes 30,000 times more tokens per year than ten years ago, while consuming the same amount of power.
• By April 2025, Adobe Firefly created 22 billion digital objects—almost three for every person on the planet.
• Tesla cars have already traveled more than 6 billion kilometers in full autopilot mode.

Current developments in the field of artificial intelligence are unprecedented in human history. The speed and scale of change we are witnessing today have never been so significant. Neither the printing press, nor the invention of steam locomotives, nor the development of transistors could compare to the transformations taking place thanks to artificial intelligence. These technologies are fundamentally changing our lives, businesses, and societal structures, opening up new horizons and necessitating adaptation to a rapidly changing world.

The expansion of artificial intelligence among ordinary users is impressive. ChatGPT processed 365 billion search queries annually from 2022 to 2024, comparable to what Google achieved in 11 years—a milestone it only reached in 2009. This growth underscores the rapid advancement of AI technologies and their integration into everyday life. Users are increasingly turning to AI for information, which is changing the way we search and process data.

Analyzing the global history of civilization reveals fascinating insights. Human history is replete with significant events and changes that have shaped our society. The evolution of cultures, technologies, and social structures has created numerous unique moments that influence the modern world. Each era offers lessons that remain relevant today, highlighting the interconnectedness between the past and the present. A deeper understanding of these historical processes allows us to better understand the current trends and challenges facing humanity.

• Radio appeared in every second home only 42 years after the start of mass production;
• Computers - 20 years later;
• Home Internet - 12 years later;
• Mobile Internet - six years later;
• AI can cope with this task in just three years.

Money Big and Small

American tech giants are investing colossal amounts of money in artificial intelligence infrastructure. These investments indicate a growing interest in technologies that have the potential to transform many areas of life and business. The development and implementation of AI requires significant financial investments in hardware, software, and research, which underscores the importance of this field for the future of technology and the economy.

In 2024, capital expenditures of the largest tech companies, known as the Big Six (Apple, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta), increased by 63% to $212 billion. This means that capital expenditures for these companies now account for 15% of their total revenue, while ten years ago this figure was only 8%. The increase in investment demonstrates the desire of these companies to expand and develop, confirming their important role in the global economy and innovative technologies.

The frenzy continues in the startup world. OpenAI generates revenue of about $3.7 billion per year, while spending $5 billion on computing power. The company's valuation has reached $300 billion, making it more valuable than Coca-Cola, which will soon turn 140 years old. This situation highlights the highly dynamic and risky nature of the technology and startup sector, where innovation and investment can lead to significant swings in company valuations.

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Coca-Cola, together with Adobe, announces the launch of the Fizzion project. This project is aimed at creating innovative solutions in the field of marketing and interaction with consumers. The collaboration between the two companies promises to yield new ideas and technologies that will help improve customer experience and increase the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. The Fizzion project will utilize modern analytical tools and creative approaches, allowing Coca-Cola to remain at the forefront of the rapidly changing world of marketing.

Anthropic has a market cap of $61.5 billion and annual revenue of $2 billion. For comparison, Yandex's revenue in 2024 was over $12.6 billion, and its market cap is approximately $23 billion. Perplexity increased its revenue 7.6 times over 14 months, reaching $120 million annually. These data highlight the significant growth and potential of companies in the technology and artificial intelligence sector.

The cost of using artificial intelligence is falling faster than the ruble exchange rate. Over the past two years, the cost of inference has decreased by 99.7%. Modern NVIDIA chips consume 105,000 times less energy per token than previous 2014 models. This significant reduction in power consumption and cost makes AI technologies more accessible and effective, facilitating their widespread adoption across various industries. Microsoft sells $13 billion worth of its AI solutions annually, representing a 175% increase. Meanwhile, Salesforce attracted 3,000 paying customers in just three months after launching its AI agents. This underscores the market's significant interest in AI technologies and their implementation in business processes.

Open Source vs. Closed Models, Round 1

Against the backdrop of current events, an ideological struggle is underway that could determine the future of artificial intelligence. This clash is reminiscent of the Linux vs. Windows confrontation in the early 2000s. It's important to understand that the approach taken to developing and implementing AI will have a significant impact on its future development and use in various fields.

On one side of the screen are closed models, such as ChatGPT and Claude, which operate through APIs and generate returns for their investors. These systems use advanced natural language processing algorithms, making them effective business tools. Investors see potential for growth and development, as closed models offer a high degree of control and intellectual property protection.

There are many open models, including Meta's LLaMA. These models can be easily downloaded and modified at no cost.

The latest version has been downloaded 1.2 billion times, with the majority of downloads coming from modifications created by the developer community. On the Hugging Face platform, the number of available AI models has increased 33-fold in two and a half years, from 35,000 to 1.16 million. This demonstrates a significant increase in interest in artificial intelligence and its applications, as well as the development of a community actively working to improve and expand the capabilities of models.

Open-source AI models, such as China's DeepSeek R1, achieve impressive results comparable to closed-source counterparts. On mathematical tests, DeepSeek R1 demonstrates 93% accuracy, which is close to 95% for OpenAI's closed-source o3-mini model. It is worth noting that training DeepSeek R1 cost the Chinese company significantly less, highlighting the potential of open-source AI solutions. These data indicate that open-source models continue to evolve, offering high-quality solutions at a lower cost.

Under the Sky and in the Valley

China, drawing on its rich history and cultural heritage, is actively developing AI technologies and is rapidly closing the gap with Silicon Valley. The country's focus on innovation and scientific research allows it to confidently advance in this key area. Investments in startups and the development of IT infrastructure are fostering a competitive ecosystem for artificial intelligence, opening up new prospects for the Chinese economy.

Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth described current events as "our space race." This phrase underscores the importance and competitiveness of space technology and exploration, and highlights the field's rapid development. With competition among global tech companies intensifying, such initiatives are key to achieving new heights in space exploration and the creation of innovative solutions.

In 2025, Chinese companies unveiled three significant models: DeepSeek-R1, Alibaba QwQ-32B, and Baidu Ernie 4.5. In the first four months, DeepSeek-R1 attracted 54 million users through its mobile app, a third of which were in China. This is especially noteworthy given that Western services have been blocked in the country since 2010. Such achievements highlight the growing popularity of Chinese technologies and their ability to compete on the international stage.

Chinese users demonstrate a more optimistic view of artificial intelligence compared to Americans. According to surveys, 83% of Chinese people believe that AI brings more benefits than harm, while in the United States only 39% of the population shares this opinion. This difference in perception highlights the cultural and social contexts that influence attitudes toward technology and its impact on society.

Taxi for the AI ​​Soul

Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond the digital space and is beginning to actively manage physical objects. This trend is significantly changing approaches to automation and process optimization in various fields. The application of AI in the real world opens up new opportunities for increased efficiency in areas such as industry, transportation, medicine, and smart cities. The implementation of intelligent systems allows for improved resource management, increased safety, and reduced costs. Thus, AI is becoming a key element in transforming traditional industries and shaping the future of technology.

• Tesla increased the number of fully driverless miles by 100 times in 33 months.
• Waymo in San Francisco already controls 27% of the ride market in its coverage area - every fourth trip there is driverless.
• The startup Applied Intuition, which makes software for autonomous cars, is already working with 18 of the world's largest automakers.
• Anduril creates AI drones for the US army and doubles its revenue every year.
• Carbon Robotics makes robots that burn weeds in fields with lasers - they have already treated 93 thousand hectares, thereby saving 380 thousand liters of herbicides.

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Super apps are becoming an important trend in digital technology and design. They are multifunctional platforms that combine various services and allow users to perform multiple tasks in a single application. Designers emphasize that such solutions improve user experience, simplify interactions, and make everyday tasks more convenient.

The development of super apps opens up new horizons for designers, allowing them to create intuitive interfaces and integrate a variety of functions. This allows users to access various services, such as delivery, financial transactions, social networks, and much more, without leaving a single app.

In an increasingly competitive market, it is important not only to offer a wide range of services but also to ensure their effective and easy use. Designers play a key role in creating attractive and functional interfaces that help increase user loyalty. Super apps are becoming an integral part of the digital ecosystem, and their development continues to attract the attention of both users and developers.

AI as a gift to all new users

One of the most significant factors of our time is access to the Internet. Currently, 5.5 billion people out of a total of 8 billion are online. The remaining 2.6 billion people will soon be able to connect to the internet thanks to satellite technologies like Starlink, which already serves over 5 million subscribers in remote areas. This internet advancement opens new opportunities for learning, business, and communication, significantly narrowing the digital divide and improving the quality of life for people everywhere.

New users will first encounter the internet in an era where artificial intelligence has become an everyday reality. Instead of searching for information through traditional search engines, they will begin to interact with machines using natural language. This shift in approach to information acquisition will fundamentally change the way people communicate and perceive data online.

Instead of using browsers, complex interfaces, and search engines, they can simply engage in a conversation with an intelligent model. This simplifies the process of obtaining information, allowing them to focus on the questions they ask and receive answers without having to dig through multiple sources. This approach makes interaction more efficient and intuitive.

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Nastya Butrym, a partner in the Shchuka project, shares her thoughts on how curiosity helps overcome fears. In the interview, she discusses the importance of pursuing knowledge and new experiences, emphasizing that interest in the world around us can be a powerful driver in life. Nastya shares her professional achievements and how they are connected to her openness to new ideas. Curiosity, in her opinion, not only contributes to personal growth but also helps her find innovative solutions at work. Nastya inspires many to follow their interests and not be afraid to think outside the box.

Get to Work in the Future

Changes in the labor market are having a significant impact on the structure of organizations. Companies are actively revising their staffing plans, adapting to new conditions and requirements. This transformation process allows organizations to use resources more efficiently and increase their competitiveness.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang argues that the threat of job loss does not come from artificial intelligence, but from people who know how to effectively use AI. This emphasizes the importance of adapting and mastering new technologies in the modern world of work. It is important not only to monitor the development of artificial intelligence but also to develop skills that will allow you to remain competitive in the labor market. Mastering AI can be key to professional growth and success.

Over the past seven years, demand for jobs requiring artificial intelligence skills has increased by 448%. Meanwhile, the number of traditional IT job openings has decreased by 9%. Apple is offering more than 600 positions related to generative AI by June 2025. This growth underscores the importance of training AI specialists and highlights the necessary skills for a successful career in modern technology. Given the importance of artificial intelligence in various industries, future candidates should actively develop their competencies in this area to increase competitiveness in the labor market.

Companies of various sizes, from large to small, are actively Integrate AI tools across all stages of production, maintenance, and management. This implementation of AI technologies enables us to optimize processes, increase efficiency, and improve the quality of services provided. AI is becoming an integral part of modern business, driving innovation and reducing costs.

Duolingo developed a complete chess course with just two people who had no programming or chess playing skills. The project was implemented exclusively using AI technologies.

Duolingo officially announces its complete transition to artificial intelligence. This requires us to reconsider many aspects of our work. Making minor changes to existing human-centered systems will not allow us to achieve our goals. We cannot delay action while waiting for the perfect technology. It is preferable to act quickly, even with some compromises in quality, than to procrastinate and miss important opportunities.

To achieve this change, we will establish specific requirements and constraints. This will allow us to structure the process and ensure its effectiveness. It is important to consider all aspects to ensure a smooth and effective shift. Establishing requirements will help clearly define goals, and constraints will create the necessary framework for work.

• When hiring, we will look for people who are proficient in using AI.
• We will evaluate employee performance based on the use of AI.
• We will only hire additional staff if teams hit a ceiling on the automation of their work."

Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, delivered an important statement at the All Hands Memo on Artificial Intelligence in April 2025. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of implementing AI in educational technologies and discussed how Duolingo plans to use AI to improve the user experience. He noted that AI has the potential to personalize learning, adapting materials to the needs of each student, making the learning process more effective and accessible. Luis von Ahn also discussed the company's future prospects in the context of technology and innovation, emphasizing Duolingo's commitment to high-quality learning and language development through modern solutions.

Human for an Hour

In the near future, artificial intelligence will play a key role in all areas of social and industrial life. Its implementation will lead to significant changes in various industries, including healthcare, education, transportation, and manufacturing. Artificial intelligence will improve process efficiency, increase the level of automation, and open up new possibilities for data analysis. This will transform approaches to work and interaction between people and technology, which in turn will contribute to the development of innovative solutions and a better quality of life.

A person will be able to make a living from their unique existence, since neural networks are able to process existing content but do not create new one. This underscores the importance of the human factor in a world where automation and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly widespread. While technology can process information, only humans can bring creativity, emotional depth, and original ideas, opening up new avenues for income and self-expression.

Currently, startups offer people the opportunity to earn money by completing tasks like photographing their kitchens or refrigerator contents. They receive a small fee for this. In the future, technology may advance to the point where we will be able to transmit not only data to models, but also our spontaneous thoughts, which remain a uniquely human trait. This opens new horizons for interacting with artificial intelligence and expands the possibilities for its application in everyday life.

It's time to adapt to this new reality—we don't have much time left.

To read the original report and explore the numerous graphs and charts in detail, please follow the link below.

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