The Mid-Year Reality Check, Are Things Getting Better in 2025?

And just like that, we’re halfway through 2025. Blink, and we’ve about a dozen revolutionary developments in AI and “game-changing” platforms, that some would want you to believe that these changes, these new technology will solve all our problems and make our lives indefinitely better. But will it?

Are we genuinely getting wiser in how we use these tools, or are we just getting more wired (I feel that sometimes), tangled in a web of notifications, over-reliant on machine learning to do our thinking for us, to do our analysis for us in the relentless pressure to adopt the next big thing, or the next hype just to stay relevant?

The H1 2025 Report Card: Hits, Misses, and Mehs

Let’s be honest, the first half of this year hasn’t been short on technological headlines. In March, OpenAI released GPT-4.5-turbo, a faster and more context-capable variant of GPT-4, enhancing its ChatGPT ecosystem with long-term memory and customizable GPTs while continuing to embed its assistant across enterprise tools via ChatGPT Teams which is sure to help them recoup some $$$ in the long stance of being a non-profit (if they can stick to their decision). Google released Gemini 1.5 Pro in February, touting a 1 million-token context window and seamless integration across Gmail, Docs, and Android devices via Gemini Nano—marking a clear pivot toward ambient AI (yay for Google Workspace users). Anthropic followed with the Claude 3 family – Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku, emphasizing safety and scale, with Opus supporting up to 1M tokens and positioning Claude as a high-context, low-friction tool for enterprise environments like Slack, which I honestly find at times it is better than ChatGPT in reasoning and summarization. Meanwhile, Meta released LLaMA 3, narrowing the capability gap with closed-source leaders, while xAI’s Grok 2 launched on X with more consumer flair than enterprise utility. Beyond model releases, industry consensus is coalescing around tool-using agents, multi-modal functionality, and AI’s embedded role in B2B productivity. Let me catch my breath.

So, how much of this has translated into real, tangible wins for everyday users or businesses?

  • The “AI Everywhere” Deluge: Sure, AI continues to embed itself into more tools. Some of this is genuinely useful, some not at all, at least even when we didn’t ask for. Those that brought real value, by automating tedious tasks, offering smarter insights, acting as a second-brain. But there’s a risk of AI-washing, where a thin veneer of AI is slapped onto an old product as a marketing gimmick. The real win here isn’t just having AI, but understanding which AI applications genuinely save us time, not deteriorating our critical thinking, or solve a problem that actually needed solving like global warming and the climate emergency that is cooking us (ok, slow-cooking us).
  • The Platform Parade: Remember that when Perplexity announced a browser that will help consumers have a hyper-personalized experience by serving them ultra-relevant content? I can’t help but had a bad taste in my mouth reading it. Don’t get me wrong we need innovation and I welcome it. Some of these new ideas offer may fresh perspectives (more often failing than succeeding), but many feel like solutions looking for a problem, adding another login and another learning curve without a clear and genuine ROI on our time or energy, or in the case of Perplexity – acquiring data to hyper-target users for advertising (what else). A “real win” is a platform that seamlessly integrates and simplifies solution with problem.
  • The Productivity and Value Paradox: We have more tools designed to make us productive than ever before. Yet, how many of us feel genuinely more focused and less overwhelmed? I’m sure there’s some of you out there like me – getting excited and excavating the rabbit-hole of learning a new tool but questioning the real-world results or benefits. Is it helping my career? Is it helping me secure my financial future? All signs points to nowhere close to what truly matters. The hype often focuses on features, not on fundamental workflow improvements or, dare I say, the need for less doing and more focused thinking.

Cutting Through the Clutter: A Saner Approach for H2 2025

So, how do we navigate the rest of the year and actually emerge wiser, not just more digitally frazzled? Here are a few thoughts for a more intentional approach to tech in H2:

  1. Define Your Why Before You Buy: Before jumping on the latest bandwagon, ask a simple question: “What specific problem will this solve for me, or what core goal will this help me achieve?” Think about all the things you’ve learned in prompt engineering. If the answer is vague, hit pause.
  2. Pilot, Don’t Plunge: I’m sorely guilty of this due to FOMO. I downloaded nearly all flavors of local LLMs, almost running out of space on my laptop instead of researching what model best suit my purpose – in my case it was testing RAG setup locally. For new tools or platforms, especially in a business context, run small pilot programs. Test with a specific use case. Does it deliver measurable benefits? Is it intuitive for users? Don’t roll out something new to everyone just because it’s new.
  3. The Does It Actually Help Audit: Schedule a recurring a personal or company-wide tech audit. Look at the tools and subscriptions you currently use. Which ones are delivering consistent value? Which ones are just… there? Be ruthless. Sometimes, subtraction is the smartest addition. You might save a few buck and mental space in this process that can be used elsewhere for good – such as time for your kids and spouse. PS: I deleted all my local models, and only kept Google’s Gemma for now.
  4. Embrace Good Enough & Longevity: Unless it is as impactful as the FIRST release of AI, what we’re experiencing these days is only incremental changes, like your iPhone 14 vs iPhone 16 (ok maybe in the iPhone’s case anything post 15 is worth it due to USB-C ports) – not every incremental update or new gadget model is a must-have. If your current tech serves its purpose well, resolves something specific and critical in your life, supports your why, resist the pressure to constantly upgrade just for the sake of newness. I’m come from a marketing background – I KNOW how tempting new and shiny stuff can be, and that feeling goes the moment you trade your previous time or $$$. Was it worth it? It usually isn’t.

I’m not saying to become Luddite, but to become a more discerning, intentional users of technology. The promise of tech is immense, but its real value is unlocked not by accumulating more, but by choosing wisely and integrating thoughtfully.

As we head into H2, let’s aim for a tech landscape that empowers our intelligence and enhances our well-being, rather than one that simply keeps us tethered and wired, and eventually stupid.

Peace.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *