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2025 Predictions Showcase
A Collaboration of Converge! Network Digest and AvidThink
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Piyush Sevalia, Executive Vice President, Marketing at SiTime, forecasts robust semiconductor industry expansion in 2025, driven by AI advancements and cloud service provider growth. The semiconductor market's positive outlook is further strengthened by automotive and industrial sector demands, with developments in electronic vehicle features and infrastructure investments leading the way.
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Views and predictions expressed are those of the presenting individuals and companies and may not necessarily represent views of Converge! Network Digest or AvidThink.
Nigel Alvares, VP of Global Marketing at Marvell, outlines three major data center predictions, including cloud providers moving to fully custom infrastructure and the evolution of AI cluster configurations — growing AI workloads will push organizations to adopt multi-site data centers with enhanced interconnect capabilities.
Mike Bushong, Vice President, Data Center at Nokia, outlines three predictions for 2025 including AI initiative adjustments, renewed focus on practical innovation, and increased network automation adoption. His analysis suggests organizations will embrace multi-vendor control solutions while adapting to workforce changes and operational requirements.
Shekar Ayyar, CEO of Arrcus, outlines three major AI infrastructure predictions for 2025, including a shift from training to inference and the deployment of AI models at network edges. His analysis highlights how Arrcus is developing intelligent networks with optimized channels for power and cost efficiency, while integrating security features directly into routing and switching infrastructure.
Matt Swinden, MD Digital Connectivity at BT Business, discusses emerging technology trends including quantum encryption, AI-driven network optimization, and the convergence of wireless access with satellite technologies.
Alan Weckel, Founder and Technology Analyst at 650 Group, forecasts AI’s dominance in 2025 with unprecedented hyperscaler spending and equipment needs driving 300-400% growth in AI ASICs and 100% growth in GPUs. The acceleration of networking speeds through AI fabrics and 1.6T connectivity creates major opportunities for network vendors in this expanding trillion-dollar ecosystem.
Chris DePuy, Co-founder & Analyst at 650 Group, examines key market expectations for 2025, including the Enterprise Wi-Fi market’s growth with Wi-Fi 7 and the shift toward flash-based storage solutions in hyperscale environments. His analysis highlights potential challenges in the telecommunications sector, where conflicting expectations about component pricing could impact vendor margins and industry dynamics.
Ryan McCowan, VP Global Technical Sales at Adtran, examines how AI will advance network management and customer support while enabling more automated operations across network domains. He explains that 50G PON deployment will let providers deliver faster speeds and merge multiple services onto unified infrastructure.
Stephan Rettenberger, SVP of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Adtran, forecasts that by 2025, bandwidth demands will surge due to streaming, gaming, and AI, while networks shift from 10G to 100G using coherent technology. His analysis indicates the residential broadband market will maintain strong growth, especially in underserved regions, with XGS-PON and software automation leading deployment strategies.
Michael Klempa, Product Marketing Engineer at Alphawave Semi, forecasts that 2025 will bring specialized AI hardware and increased connectivity demands, with 400Gig-class signaling taking center stage in AI network scaling. He highlights the need to reassess traditional technologies like PAM modulation at higher speeds while anticipating new optical devices, advanced packaging solutions, and the expansion of coherent optical connectivity into shorter-reach applications.
Bill McKenney, Marketing Director at Analog Devices, shares three key wireless communications predictions for 2025, including zero-trust security adoption, expanded 5G standalone networks, and increased Open RAN deployment. His analysis highlights how these changes will help operators maximize their network investments while advancing energy efficiency goals across the telecommunications sector.
Mattias Fridström, Chief Evangelist at Arelion, outlines three essential predictions for 2025, focusing on fiber availability for network resilience, power infrastructure requirements for AI advancement, and mandatory sustainability reporting. His analysis highlights how network operators must adapt to increasing demands for route diversity while balancing power resources and environmental responsibilities.
Ken Rutsky, CMO of Aryaka, outlines three major predictions for 2025 focused on network platformization, AI networking challenges, and the emergence of a new Chief Secure Networking Officer role. The predictions highlight how organizations will need to adapt their network and security architectures to support hybrid work environments while managing increased AI workloads and data movement requirements.
Thad Omura, Chief Business Officer at Astera Labs, forecasts major shifts in data center AI infrastructure for 2025, including the growth of reasoning model clusters to one million nodes and adoption of new protocols like Ultra Accelerator Link. His analysis points to AI infrastructure management tools becoming essential for optimizing investments, with connectivity solutions enabling improved fleet monitoring and resource optimization at scale.
Evangelos Eleftheriou, CTO of Axelera AI, draws from his extensive IBM Research background to predict a significant movement from cloud to edge AI computing by 2025, citing benefits in latency reduction, efficiency, and data privacy. He anticipates that conventional AI applications, especially in computer vision, will lead edge computing growth, while Axelera AI develops advanced chips to support both current and future edge AI needs.
Manoj Srivastava, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Blackpoint, outlines his vision for AI security challenges and MSP evolution in 2025, highlighting the emerging conflict between beneficial and malicious AI applications built on large language models. His analysis emphasizes how MSPs will adopt unified security approaches while balancing specialized tools with comprehensive platform solutions to enhance customer protection.
Pete Del Vecchio, Data Center Switch Product Line Manager at Broadcom, shares his vision for 2025, highlighting Ethernet’s dominance in GPU clusters and scale-up networking. His analysis points to a future where AI deployment becomes more accessible through efficient processors and networking solutions, enabling organizations of all sizes to implement large language models.
Kevin Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Clearfield, outlines predictions for 2025 including fiber’s dominance over LEO satellites in BEAD funding and regulatory changes to accelerate broadband deployment. His analysis highlights how AI advancements will push networks toward multi-terabit speeds and drive significant infrastructure investments.
Mittal Parekh, Senior Director of Ruckus Networks Business Unit at CommScope, outlines how network technologies will drive enterprise sustainability in 2025, positioning sustainability as a strategic necessity rather than a corporate checkbox. He illustrates how AI-driven networks, combined with Wi-Fi 7, IoT protocols, and private 5G, will enhance energy efficiency and resource management across various enterprise settings including hospitality, education, healthcare, and corporate environments.
Tim Dyer, Vice President of Market Development at CommScope, outlines four major trends in the W sector including sustainability, AI influence, wireless networks, and Open Standards adoption. He highlights how passive optical LANs and Wi-Fi 7 technologies are advancing network capabilities through improved power efficiency, increased speeds, and enhanced security measures.
Chris Collins, VP of Sales & Marketing for Optical DSPs at Credo, outlines predictions for 2025 including the emergence of 1.6T transceivers and power-efficient 3nm DSP devices. He highlights how optical link reliability will be essential for AI clusters while the optical ecosystem expands beyond traditional suppliers to support growing market needs.
Don Barnetson, VP Product – HiWire AECs at Credo, forecasts key networking shifts for 2025, including InfiniBand’s reduced role as Ethernet becomes the standard for scale-out networks and proprietary interfaces align with 224G IEEE Ethernet standards. His analysis highlights how liquid cooling’s space advantages will drive renewed interest in copper connectivity for NIC-to-switch connections, offering better power efficiency and reliability at lower costs.
DE-CIX CEO Ivo Ivanov leads a global internet exchange operation spanning 58 markets and connecting over 3,700 networks worldwide. As head of DE-CIX, Ivanov forecasts major shifts in AI services, space-based internet connectivity, and robotics advancement through 2025.
Yuval Bachar, Co-founder and CEO of ECL, forecasts major data center challenges for 2025, focusing on unprecedented AI infrastructure demands, power constraints, and specialized facility shortages. His analysis suggests these obstacles will drive innovations in energy solutions and cooling systems that will influence data center design through 2050.
Archana Khetan, SVP of Product Management and Technical Marketing at Ericsson Enterprise Wireless, anticipates major networking shifts in 2025, including wider WAN adoption and expanded AI capabilities beyond operations. She expects the integration of 5G and AI will enable new edge computing applications, particularly for mobile scenarios, while emphasizing distributed security solutions for AI implementations.
Chuck Herrin, Field CISO at F5, outlines three key predictions about AI’s trajectory through 2025, highlighting the expected mix of success and letdown for organizations implementing AI solutions. His analysis points to the rise of unsanctioned AI deployments and suggests that international AI development could ease global tensions through increased technological interdependence.
Bill Major, CEO of Fiberlight, forecasts intense M&A activity in 2025 across enterprise fiber, fiber-to-the-tower, and fiber-to-the-home markets, while highlighting strong data center growth and Bitcoin mining’s expanding influence.
Larry Lunetta, VP of Portfolio Solutions Marketing at HPE Aruba Networking, outlines key retail technology trends from NRF 2025, highlighting AI’s growing importance in inventory management and personalized shopping experiences. His analysis shows how retailers are expanding their network infrastructure to support AI initiatives, including integrated Wi-Fi 7 and private 5G solutions, while bringing data processing capabilities directly into stores through GPU-enabled servers.
Kelly Burroughs, Enterprise Solutions Director at iBwave, forecasts that enterprise wireless networks in 2025 will see expanded private network adoption across industries like energy and healthcare, while supporting multiple wireless technologies for indoor and outdoor connectivity. She highlights that simplified deployment methods and enhanced partnerships will make private networks more attainable for businesses.
Marc Cohn outlines three major technology initiatives for 2025: private networking for industrial and enterprise applications, edge computing for enhanced service delivery, and AI for operational improvements. His analysis emphasizes how these technologies will shape network infrastructure development while addressing key challenges like AI power consumption in data centers and the need for distributed computing models.
Tim Doiron, VP of Solution Marketing at Infinera, shares his vision for 2025’s optical networking landscape, highlighting advancements in Next Generation Optical engines and compact modular systems. His analysis points to significant progress in open optical automation, with network operators embracing multivendor solutions across coherent pluggables, optical line systems, and embedded optical engines.
Amit Sanyal, Senior Director of Data Center Product Marketing at Juniper, outlines key networking trends for 2025, including increased hybrid cloud adoption and a shift from InfiniBand to Ethernet for AI deployments. He emphasizes the importance of energy optimization through efficient optical modules, liquid cooling solutions, and AI-driven facilities management systems in data centers.
Bob Friday from Juniper forecasts 2025 as the “year of AI connoisseurs” when enterprise customers will develop sophisticated understanding of AI’s networking capabilities. Based on the progression from skepticism to acceptance since 2014, he anticipates numerous Proof of Concept implementations as organizations gain hands-on experience with AI network automation.
Jai Thattil, Head of Industry & Sustainability Marketing at Juniper, highlights three key networking trends including intent-based closed-loop automation, AI-driven sustainability initiatives, and widespread 800-gig networking adoption. These trends reflect the industry’s focus on enhancing network operations through AI capabilities while addressing environmental concerns and meeting growing bandwidth demands across cloud, telecom, and data center environments.
Gretchen Tinnerman, GM, US Telco, Media and Technology Market at Kyndryl, outlines three key trends for telecommunications in 2025, including AI-driven networking, micro industry vertical expansion, and enhanced data processing capabilities. The Kyndryl Readiness survey indicates only 43% of telecom leaders believe their IT infrastructure is fully prepared for future risks, highlighting the importance of these emerging trends.
Bindu Sundaresan, Director, Strategic Solutions at LevelBlue, outlines critical cybersecurity predictions for 2025, including intensified ransomware threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, and IoT botnet expansion. She examines AI’s contrasting roles in cybersecurity, from enabling advanced phishing attacks to strengthening defensive capabilities through managed security services and integrated solutions.
Arpit Joshipura, GM Networking + Edge IOT at Linux Foundation, outlines three significant predictions for 2025 spanning domain-specific AI, network API monetization, and Edge compute adoption. His analysis shows how specialized AI models, profitable network APIs, and Edge computing are reshaping telecommunications and industrial sectors through projects like Po and Kamara.
Ranny Haiby, CTO of Networking, Edge/IoT, Access at Linux Foundation, outlines three major networking trends for 2024 including cloud-native adoption maturity, Open RAN acceleration, and non-terrestrial networks. These trends reflect the industry’s focus on expanding connectivity options and improving network architectures through initiatives like the Cloud Native Telco project and satellite network integration.
Ed Fox, CTO of MetTel, forecasts substantial IT infrastructure expansion in 2025, with edge computing and AI leading the advancement across cloud, enterprise, and satellite networks. He anticipates the emergence of small modular nuclear reactors for powering cloud infrastructure, while highlighting the critical role of encryption and decentralized identity management in securing these evolving systems.
Parm Sandhu, VP Enterprise 5G Products & Services at NTT Data, outlines three key predictions for 2025 focusing on private 5G networks, edge computing, and industry integration. His analysis highlights the expected growth in SI-managed private 5G deployments across manufacturing and defense sectors, while emphasizing how edge AI and cloud technologies will enhance operational efficiency and security frameworks.
Tammy Soares, President of Launch by NTT Data, highlights three major tech trends for 2025: generative AI becoming a business standard with $2 trillion in global investment, cybersecurity evolving into an AI-driven challenge, and the intersection of innovation with sustainability goals. Through strategic partnerships and investments, NTT Data is advancing these priorities with initiatives like their $3.3 billion Toyota collaboration for AI platforms and their commitment to achieve carbon neutrality in data centers by 2030.
OXIO‘s CTO Adil Belihomji forecasts that 2025 will see accelerated wholesale telecom growth and more customizable connectivity solutions for enterprises. His analysis suggests the telecom sector will increasingly adopt large language models to enhance operations, from customer experience to network optimization and fraud prevention.
PacketLight‘s CEO Koby Reshef anticipates the rise of specialized AI cloud providers in 2025, offering GPU-on-demand services and requiring networks to support higher data rates up to 1.6T wavelengths. He emphasizes the need for enhanced security measures like layer-one encryption and quantum key distribution to safeguard AI operations while maintaining network performance.
Dr. Suresh Venkatesan, Chairman and CEO of POET Technologies, outlines predictions for 2025 including the expansion of optical interposer technology for AI applications and the industry shift toward 1.6 terabits per second capabilities. His analysis highlights the increasing significance of 200 gig per lane applications and the continued dominance of Indium Phosphide-based EA modulators in the optical communications sector.
Rob Laudati, VP, Products & Services at Render Networks, forecasts that AI will play a central role in optimizing network planning and construction while enhancing field operations through mobile technologies by 2025. His analysis points to the continued dominance of fiber technologies alongside emerging solutions like fixed wireless and satellite systems to meet growing bandwidth demands.
Jason Moore, Co-founder and CEO of RouteThis, outlines three predictions for broadband providers in 2025, focusing on heightened competition and the importance of customer experience. He highlights how data visibility will become essential for competitive advantage, enabling providers to enhance support operations and field service efficiency through advanced tools and real-time insights.
John Capobianco, Product Marketing Evangelist at Selector, outlines three major networking predictions for 2025, including AI agents with specialized functions, digital twins for network testing, and the widespread adoption of automation. His analysis draws from extensive industry experience to highlight how these technological advances will shape enterprise networking practices and organizational expectations.
Piyush Sevalia, Executive Vice President, Marketing at SiTime, forecasts robust semiconductor industry expansion in 2025, driven by AI advancements and cloud service provider growth. The semiconductor market’s positive outlook is further strengthened by automotive and industrial sector demands, with developments in electronic vehicle features and infrastructure investments leading the way.
Jim Lenox, Vice President of Systems Solutions at Sony Semiconductor, outlines predictions about Vision AI’s shift toward edge computing and user-friendly deployment tools. He highlights how AI model development will become more accessible to frontline workers through simplified tools, enabling broader workplace adoption of Vision AI solutions.
Steve Douglas, Head of Market Strategy at Spirent, shares three major predictions for 2025 including network infrastructure as a service for AI, operational resilience becoming widespread across industries, and accelerated 5G developments. His analysis highlights how telecom providers will offer multi-tenant solutions while strengthening security measures and expanding 5G standalone deployments across global markets.
Armond Hairapetian, Founder and CTO of Terasignal, identifies three major networking developments for 2025, including linear optics adoption for high-speed interfaces, retiming driver advancements, and enhanced link training algorithms. His analysis highlights how these changes will lead to significant improvements in latency, power efficiency, and cost reduction across networking and compute applications.
Eugina Jordan, Chief Marketing Officer at Telecom Infra Project, outlines three significant telecom predictions for 2025, including multimode AI for enhanced customer service and autonomous network management. Her analysis highlights how AI advancements will enable real-time network optimization through Open RAN ecosystems, with major vendors collaborating with startups on specialized applications for improved efficiency.
Bruce Lancaster, CEO of Wilson Connectivity, forecasts substantial private networking growth in 2025 as enterprise solutions become more affordable and accessible. The expansion is fueled by automation requirements for industrial equipment and IoT devices that need the performance advantages of 5G-based private networks.