If 2024 was the year of AI, what does that make 2025? This year marked a number of tech milestones in the Capital Region. LSU became the first Louisiana institution to join the global AI Alliance network. Local app developers released an array of problem-solving software. The Nexus Louisiana Tech Park had a full house of local tech tenants. But as a new federal administration takes office and tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to lead the proposed Department of Government Efficiency, local technology leaders anticipate significant technological advancements in the new year. Chris Dykes, co-founder and CEO of local software company Clear Blue Design, predicts cryptocurrency will be a bigger focus under the Trump administration, which is known to be favor the decentralized currency and has hinted at loosening regulations. He also projects there may be more updates and flexible regulations around self-driving vehicles. And while we’re still a ways off from the peak of quantum computing, Dykes says developers have made huge leaps in processing power. The AI boom will continue veering into the mainstream and its capabilities will continue to advance, Dykes says. However, he posits that there will be a plateau in AI advancement that will enable users to adjust to the current models before the next big AI transformation. “If you’re not using AI in your business at the end of 2025 in some way, then your competitors are and they are probably getting an edge on you,” the entrepreneur says. Kellen Francis, CEO and owner of CodeGig, a local tech company specializing in carbon capture technology, says in 2025 there will be more energy-driven technological advancements in climate tech, carbon capture, and hydrogen. He says augmented reality, fintech software and electric vehicle infrastructures will become more common. With its strong presence in the oil and gas industry and its selection as the site for Meta’s largest data center, Louisiana is further cementing its reputation as a leader in technology. “Louisiana is and will be one of the major players in the technology hub across the board,” Francis declares.