Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the world at an astonishing pace. Clément Delangue, the CEO of Hugging Face, recently shared his bold predictions for AI in 2025, building on the current trends and breakthroughs. Let’s dive into these forecasts and reflect on how his previous predictions for 2024 played out.

Predictions for AI in 2025

  1. The first major public protest related to AI
    As AI continues to infiltrate various aspects of our lives, concerns over its ethical, economic, and societal implications may spark significant public dissent. Delangue foresees the first large-scale protest specifically targeting AI technologies or policies.
  2. A major company’s market cap will halve due to AI
    While AI has been a driver of innovation and profit, its disruptive potential could significantly impact some companies negatively. Delangue predicts at least one major company will see its valuation cut in half because of AI-related challenges.
  3. 100,000 personal AI robots will be pre-ordered
    The rise of personal robotics powered by AI will reach a pivotal moment, with at least 100,000 pre-orders for these advanced machines. This marks a new era where AI extends from digital assistants to physical companions.
  4. China will lead the global AI race
    Leveraging its leadership in open-source AI initiatives, China is predicted to become the frontrunner in the global AI landscape, setting the pace in both technological development and adoption.
  5. Breakthroughs in AI for biology and chemistry
    AI’s application in biology and chemistry will lead to groundbreaking discoveries, potentially revolutionizing areas such as drug development, materials science, and synthetic biology.
  6. 15 million AI builders on Hugging Face
    As the demand for AI expertise grows, the number of developers and researchers building AI solutions on platforms like Hugging Face will surge, hitting 15 million. This reflects the economic and employment growth potential of AI.

How Did the 2024 Predictions Fare?

Clément Delangue’s predictions for AI in 2024 largely proved accurate, highlighting his understanding of the industry’s trajectory:

  1. A hyped AI company will go bankrupt or be acquired at a low price
    ✅ This came true with companies like Inflexion and AdeptAI facing significant financial challenges.
  2. Open-source LLMs will rival closed-source counterparts
    ✅ Models like QwQ and others have shown that open-source large language models can achieve comparable performance.
  3. Big breakthroughs in AI for video, time-series, biology, and chemistry
    ✅ Progress was made in video AI.
    🔴 However, time-series, biology, and chemistry breakthroughs lagged behind expectations.
  4. Increased awareness of AI costs (monetary and environmental)
    ✅ The monetary cost of AI has garnered attention.
    🔴 Unfortunately, discussions about its environmental impact remain insufficient.
  5. A popular media outlet will become AI-generated
    ✅ Google’s NotebookLM exemplified this trend.
  6. 10 million AI builders on Hugging Face without rising unemployment
    🔜 Although 10 million hasn’t been reached yet, Hugging Face’s community now stands at 7 million, showing strong growth.

What Do These Predictions Mean for the Future?

Delangue’s forecasts underscore both the opportunities and challenges AI will bring. From ethical debates to technological breakthroughs, AI’s role in shaping industries and societies will only grow.

Whether it’s personal robots, new scientific discoveries, or a shift in global AI leadership, 2025 promises to be a landmark year for Artificial Intelligence. For innovators, policymakers, and the public, these predictions offer a glimpse into the transformative power of AI—and the critical questions it raises.

What do you think of these predictions? Will they shape the future as expected, or will the trajectory of AI take a different turn? Let us know your thoughts!