In 2024, technology soared to new heights, transforming how we live, work, and innovate—and laying the groundwork for more dramatic changes in 2025 and beyond. At the forefront stood artificial intelligence, subtly yet powerfully reshaping industries and everyday life through tools that generate lifelike videos from a single typed prompt, predictive systems that help avert crime, and large-scale AI-driven infrastructure optimizations.
But AI was just one piece of a broader transformation. Developments in quantum computing signalled a new era of immense processing power, green tech initiatives pushed sustainability to the forefront, WebAssembly re-emerged to enable high-performance applications on the web, and strides in energy-efficient software underscored a growing commitment to eco-conscious design. Together, these advancements not only promise to shift the way we harness technology but also challenge how we think about its role in shaping our collective future.
In this article, our tech managers shared their reflections on the industry’s defining moments in 2024—what amazed, who fell short, and what game-changing innovations you might have missed.
Oleksandr Myroshnychenko, Manager, Training and Research
AI’s Ubiquity in Modern Technology
The AI market is vast—so vast that covering it all alone is impossible. Personally, I’ve taken a conservative approach to AI, focusing on the big players. There are the giants—Google, Microsoft, and Meta—the key players investing heavily in AI. In my view, the most significant innovations emerge from these companies. Take Microsoft, for example. They’ve partnered with OpenAI, developing GPT models and the Soru ecosystem. Google has been promoting its TensorFlow™ platform, which I see as the foundation for everything AI-related. They’ve also advanced their Gemini™ LLM system and their video-generation engine, Veo, which has already reached its second version.
On the other hand, NVIDIA recently held a major conference, unveiling new GPUs and robotics frameworks, along with the groundbreaking DLSS 4 technology. These products—from OpenAI, Google, and Meta—stand out as the most revolutionary achievements of 2024.
For instance, OpenAI's ChatGPT™ 4.0 and Gemini Flash Pro are milestones in LLM development. Despite Gemini’s complicated naming conventions, it’s clear that these systems are among the best. And NVIDIA’s DLSS 4? It’s a game-changer for applied technology, boosting performance while reducing computational load. These breakthroughs have set the stage for what I consider the most important advancements of 2024.
Mind-Blowing Developments
Among all the innovations, Veo and Soru stand out. Imagine this: you type a text description, and voila, a fully generated video appears. That’s incredible! These tools are redefining what’s possible in creative content generation. Watching Soru’s realistic video outputs left me in awe—even though it still struggles with real-world physics. Veo, on the other hand, has largely resolved these issues, producing videos so lifelike it’s hard to tell if they’re real or AI-generated. The crime prevention use case also blew my mind.
I read an article about how, in Chicago, neural networks analyzed past crime data—burglaries, car break-ins, and even homicides—and predicted where crimes were likely to occur. Police began dispatching patrols to these high-risk areas, and crime rates started to drop. It’s not about punishment but prevention, and it’s working.
Another unexpected success story comes from Brazil. They used AI to restructure the country’s water management system. By analyzing reservoirs, tributaries, and the Amazon River’s flow, an AI created a master plan for the entire nation. This plan, now being implemented, includes building reservoirs, rerouting pipelines, and constructing dams—a true testament to AI’s potential for large-scale impact.
Where Expectations Fell Short
Of course, not everything lived up to the hype. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, for example, was a letdown. I was eagerly awaiting cars that could truly drive themselves, but once again, Elon Musk’s grand promises didn’t deliver. They showcased a demo of driverless taxis with no steering wheels, but it felt staged. It seemed like someone in the background was controlling the cars. Autonomous driving remains an unfulfilled dream.
Advice for Developers and Engineers
For those working in AI, here’s my advice:
- Leverage LLMs: Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are invaluable for both work and daily life. They’re not just for writing or coding; they help analyze problems, brainstorm solutions, and much more. Mastering LLMs is about learning to ask the right questions, interpret answers, and spot errors.
- Explore Core Technologies: If you’re interested in foundational AI, start with TensorFlow. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for AI development, offering everything you need to build and deploy tools.
- Invest Time in AI: Whether it’s learning to use LLMs effectively or delving into core frameworks, investing time in understanding AI will pay off. Those who ignore these tools risk falling behind.
Whether you’re a developer, a researcher, or just an enthusiast, there’s never been a better time to explore the world of AI.
Trends and Expectations for 2025
Looking ahead, I believe 2025 will continue the momentum of 2024. DLSS 4 is already setting the tone for the year. This technology, designed for NVIDIA GPUs, uses neural networks to render only a fraction of the screen while extrapolating the rest. The result? Stunning visuals with significantly reduced computational demands. Even mid-range graphics cards will now deliver performance that was once exclusive to high-end models.
I’m also curious about Tesla’s next steps in autonomous driving. Will they finally deliver on their promises? My expectations are tempered, but I’m keeping an eye on it.
Kyrylo Nazarov, Delivery Manager
AI in Engineering Tools: Transformative Advancements
It’s hard to detach any discussion about technology from artificial intelligence because, well, it’s everywhere. Almost every trend or breakthrough we discuss now seems to tie back to AI in some way. Whether it’s tools like GPT, Microsoft Copilot™, or Gemini, the evolution of AI is shaping the entire software landscape.
AMC Bridge primarily works with engineering software, tools like CAD and similar platforms. These are increasingly incorporating AI to simplify tasks for engineers and end users. For instance, last year, there was an explosion of tools capable of generating code or even content. One that stood out to me was a tool that could generate CAD models based solely on text descriptions. You could describe a design—specify its dimensions and shape—and it would generate a detailed model. That’s not just impressive; it’s transformative.
Memory-Safe Programming Languages Gain Ground
Of course, AI wasn’t the only story. In 2024, the U.S. White House made a significant announcement promoting memory-safe programming languages over traditional ones. They emphasized languages like Rust® as safer alternatives to C and C++. This announcement shifted focus toward low-level programming languages and their role in cybersecurity. It highlighted the growing importance of efficiency and safety in memory management.
The Resurgence of WebAssembly (Wasm)
Speaking of low-level programming, WebAssembly (Wasm) saw a resurgence last year. It's a low-level binary instruction format for the web, which is typically used in conjunction with JavaScript to implement more performant and efficient web (or web-based) applications. For a long time, it seemed that Wasm did not deliver on its promise and its adoption was slower than many had hoped, but 2024 showed us otherwise, and we saw more large projects and fundamental technologies use Wasm under the hood. Considering that we work in an industry where performance requirements are consistently high, I'd keep this technology on my radar in the nearest future.
Green Technology and Energy Efficiency
Many of our existing and potential clients bring up sustainability as a major focus for future projects, so we are already hard at work coming up with innovative solutions to this problem. A lot of companies now face pressure to optimize their software to reduce energy consumption. In large-scale data centers, even a 1% improvement in efficiency can significantly cut energy usage. It’s part of a broader movement called “Green Technology,” where developers strive to create eco-friendly solutions.
Regulatory bodies are also pushing for this change, which drives companies to comply. But the benefits are universal: efficient software not only saves energy but also reduces costs. It’s a win-win situation and a trend I expect to grow in the coming years.
Missed Opportunities in Housing Solutions
Of course, not every expectation panned out. For example, the housing crisis remains a pressing issue globally, and while its root causes may not be technological in nature, we are still seeing that larger and more conservative construction companies are slow to leverage technology to at least help address this issue. Building information modeling (BIM) has the potential to revolutionize construction, making processes faster and more efficient, but its adoption is still limited.
On the other hand, the use of drones made an impression on me. While not a dominant trend, their use in construction—for documenting progress or scanning buildings—highlighted innovative applications in engineering. Similarly, artificial intelligence has embedded itself into almost every tool we use.
The Shift Toward Specialized Software Solutions
Looking ahead, I see a shift toward more specialized software solutions. In the past, large, monolithic packages like the most popular CAD systems dominated the market. Now, there’s a trend toward lightweight, purpose-built tools targeting specific industries or tasks. For instance, some clients focusing on niche markets offer streamlined setups tailored to small businesses. This move away from bloated, one-size-fits-all solutions is an encouraging sign of optimization.
Quantum Computing: A Technology to Watch
One technology worth mentioning is quantum computing. It’s still in its infancy, but progress was made in 2024. I’d recommend keeping an eye on this space. If quantum computing fulfills its promise, it could revolutionize not just software development but entire industries.
Overall, the software development landscape is undergoing rapid transformation. AI is undeniably at the center of this change, influencing everything from how we code to how we think about sustainability and efficiency. The future is both exciting and unpredictable, but one thing is clear: adaptability will be key for developers and companies alike.
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