While tech giants like OpenAI chase after artificial general intelligence (AGI), most businesses are taking a more practical approach to AI. They're focused on using it to work smarter, save money, and make customers happier.
A trend we as developers see is that while the cost per “token” drops some, our total bills are actually going up because we're using AI for more complex tasks. For example, while regular text chat costs about $0.07 for several hours of work, an excel file analysis or file formatting is 10-100 times more expensive with image and video work averaging 50-200 times more than standard text work.
It's like buying in bulk at a store - while each item might cost less, you end up spending more overall because you're buying more things. Businesses need to keep this in mind during budget planning, especially when expanding how they use AI beyond simple text tasks.
Recent research shows that 72% of business leaders plan to use more AI tools soon. Here's what to watch for in 2025:
Small But Mighty Models
Think of it as having a smart assistant that works offline. Companies are choosing smaller AI models that:
Better Memory and Understanding
AI is getting better at handling longer conversations and documents. For example, Google's NotebookLM can now process 1.5 million words at once - that's like reading several books in one sitting. This means businesses can search through all their documents at once to find exactly what they need. Teaching AI Skills
Just like learning a new language, people need to learn how to "speak AI." Companies should teach employees to:
Interestingly, 76% of workers say they want to become AI experts.
Smarter AI Assistants
AI assistants are getting more independent and can:
But they'll need to prove they're reliable before businesses fully trust them.
Playing by the Rules
Less than 45% of company boards haven't even discussed AI governance. This will change in 2025 as businesses realize they need rules to:
Working with experts can help companies choose the right tools and use them wisely. The key is to start small, learn what works, and share that knowledge across the organization.