Digital Transformation Trends 2027

How will digital tools change the way we work? Here are the key trends to watch in 2025. See how each one could help your team.

AR/VR

AR adds digital objects to the world you see. VR puts you inside a space made with code. Both fall under the wider term XR. Here are three ways these tools can help teams:

• XR headsets let staff practise tasks in a safe space. Teams can use them to teach skills and test designs.
• Care teams can use VR to train for complex tasks. Remote teams can also meet in a shared virtual space.
• Some headsets now work with no phone or PC. This gives users more freedom to move and look around.

Data Privacy

People want to know how you use their data. Clear rules help your team earn and keep their trust. Focus on these two steps as you plan ahead:

• Make data privacy part of each new project from the start. Know what data you hold and who can use it.
• Check how AI tools use and share people's data. Review the risks when data moves from place to place.

For more on cyber risks, read this guide from SentinelOne. Here are ten risks and ways to reduce them:

• AI threats: Hackers can use AI to help hide harmful code. Keep your tools up to date and track signs of misuse.
• Zero trust: Check each user and device before you grant access. Limit what each person can see and change.
• Quantum risks: Future quantum tools could break some ways we protect data. Find out which tools may need new ways to stay safe.
• Ransomware: Criminals can rent tools that lock files for ransom. Keep spare copies offline and test how you restore them.
• Device risks: Smart devices can give hackers a route into your IT. Apply fixes and check who can reach each device.
• Staff risks: People can expose data by mistake or on purpose. Limit access and teach staff how to spot risks.
• Risks from other firms: An attack on a firm you use can reach you too. Check how firms that serve you keep data safe.
• Cloud app risks: Small parts of cloud apps can have flaws too. Check them for faults as you build and release code.
• Fake voices and videos: AI can make fake calls sound like people you trust. Use a second, trusted channel to check odd requests.
• Linked tools: Office IT and factory tools can share the same risks. Watch both and plan how to respond to an attack.

AI and Machine Learning

AI tools can help teams work with large amounts of data. Machine learning, or ML, lets AI learn from data. MobiDev looks at AI trends and their uses for firms. Here are some key areas to keep in mind:

• Tools to build AI: Teams use tools such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, and JAX. The best fit depends on your skills and goals.
• AI forecasts: AI can use past data to help forecast demand. Teams can use these insights to plan stock and staff.
• AI that learns from trials: Some AI learns by testing actions and earning rewards. Teams can use this to train robots to perform tasks.
• AI for safety: AI can help spot signs of fraud or harmful code. Staff still need to check alerts and act on risks.
• AI with less code: Some tools help teams build AI with less coding. Good data and careful tests still matter for each model.
• Clear AI results: Teams need to know why AI gives a result. This helps them spot errors and explain choices to users.
• AI chat tools: AI can help answer questions and draft new content. People should check its claims before they use the text.
• AI that creates: AI can create text, images, sound, and draft designs. Teams can use these drafts to test and refine ideas.
• AI in smart tools: Sensors collect data that AI can use to spot faults. This can help teams fix a device before it breaks down.

See also: Link your CMS to marketing tools that save time »

IoT

The Internet of Things, or IoT, links devices that share data. These can range from small sensors to large factory tools. LORIOT looks at trends that shape the use of IoT. Here are six areas to look at for your team:

• Safer devices: Build in ways to keep devices safe from the start. Plan how to apply fixes throughout their useful life.
• AI at the edge: A device can process data close to where it is gathered. This can cut delays and the need to send data.
• Less waste: Smart meters help teams track how much power they use. Sensors can also help spot leaks and reduce waste.
• Health care: Devices can track signs such as a patient's heart rate. Care teams can use this data to check on patients.
• Smart cities: Sensors can help cities track traffic and air quality. Teams can use the data to plan local services.
• Smart factories: Sensors can warn teams when a machine may need repairs. Digital models can also help teams test changes first.

Cloud

Cloud tools let teams rent the IT resources they need. They can also help teams adjust as their needs change. The CNCF blog sets out cloud trends for 2025. Here are six areas that could shape your plans:

• AI in the cloud: AI can help teams track costs and spot faults. It can also adjust resources as demand rises or falls.
• Edge and cloud AI: Some AI tasks run near the source of the data. Others use cloud tools when they need more power to process data.
• A mix of clouds: Teams can use cloud tools with their own IT. This gives them more choice in where to run tasks.
• Serverless tools: Cloud firms can manage the servers that run your code. Your team can then spend more time building useful features.
• Quantum tools: Some cloud tools offer access to early quantum systems. Teams can rent time on these to test their ideas.
• Updates at the edge: Devices far from your office need fixes and checks too. Teams need ways to update them safely from a distance.

Choose a digital platform that helps your team reach its goals »

Headless CMS and Content Hubs

A headless CMS stores content apart from the pages that show it. This helps teams use the same content in more places.

Your team can write content once and share it across channels. The same text can appear on a website or an app. A content hub helps teams keep that text in one place. APIs let other tools fetch the content when they need it. This can reduce repeat work and keep your message clear.

Voice and Chat Tools

Voice and chat tools give people more ways to find help. Users can ask a question instead of clicking through a menu. Synup shares data on how people use voice search. For your team, the key is to make answers clear. Use words that match the way your users speak.

Chat tools can also help staff find answers at work. G2 explores trends in AI and tools for the workplace. Teams can use AI to search notes or draft replies. Give users a clear way to reach a person too. Test how well these tools work for people with different needs.

More Trends

These trends could also shape how your team uses digital tools:

• 6G: Work on the next wave of mobile networks is underway. For now, treat 6G as a trend to watch.
• Blockchain: Shared records can help teams trace goods as they move. Check whether this approach solves a real need for you.
• Cyber safety: Threats change, so teams need to review their defences. Keep access rules clear and test your response to attacks.
• Green tech: Teams can choose tools that help them use less power. Track the results to see where changes make a difference.
• Fintech: Finance tools can help people pay within the apps they use. Firms need to keep these tools safe and easy to use.
• Remote work: Shared tools help staff work from home or the office. Focus on easy access, clear tasks, and ways to stay connected.
• XaaS: This means paying to use a tool or service. Check costs, data access, and exit terms before you sign up.

First published 15 May 2019, updated 7 February 2025.