2025 proved to be a landmark year for technological advancement and critical examination, and MIT Technology Review’s readership reflected a keen interest in the profound impacts these developments are having on our world. From the insatiable energy demands of artificial intelligence to the intricate workings of the human body and the evolving landscape of human-AI relationships, our most resonant stories of the year delved into the crucial questions shaping our future. We celebrated a year of robust content creation, including magazine issues dedicated to "Power," "Creativity," "Innovation," "Bodies," "Relationships," and "Security." Beyond the print realm, our subscriber-only "Roundtables" series hosted 14 insightful virtual conversations with leading editors and external experts, while two significant on-campus events at MIT fostered deeper engagement. Hundreds of online articles further illuminated groundbreaking developments in computing, climate tech, robotics, and a myriad of other rapidly evolving fields. As we reflect on this dynamic period, these are the stories that captivated our audience, sparking discussion and driving understanding of the technologies that are redefining our existence.

The insatiable appetite of artificial intelligence for energy became a paramount concern in 2025, a year marked by the widespread adoption of generative AI tools by hundreds of millions globally. Our senior reporters, James O’Donnell and Casey Crownhart, undertook a monumental task: to meticulously calculate AI’s energy footprint. Their research culminated in an unprecedented analysis, breaking down resource demand to the granular level of a single query. This deep dive provided readers with vital insights into the escalating energy and water requirements of AI, offering a stark, data-driven perspective on the environmental implications of this transformative technology, and revealing critical aspects of its climate footprint that had previously remained unheard.

Our understanding of the multifaceted role of vitamin D within the human body experienced a significant expansion in 2025, addressing a widespread deficiency, particularly pronounced during the darker winter months when natural sunlight is scarce. While its crucial role in bone health has long been acknowledged, senior reporter Jessica Hamzelou’s reporting unveiled a wealth of recent research uncovering surprising new insights into its broader influence. These advancements illuminated vitamin D’s potential impact on our immune systems and cardiovascular health, underscoring its complex and vital contribution to overall well-being, and emphasizing the "sunshine vitamin’s" far-reaching effects on bodily functions.

The fundamental question of "What is AI?" continued to resonate deeply with our readers in 2025, even a year after its initial publication. Senior editor Will Douglas Heaven’s comprehensive exploration of artificial intelligence provided a much-needed framework for understanding this complex and often ambiguous field. His article addressed the persistent lack of consensus on a definitive definition of AI, meticulously explaining why this ambiguity matters and how it can equip individuals with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the rapidly advancing technological landscape, fostering a more informed public discourse.

The prospect of ethically sourced "spare" human bodies capable of revolutionizing medicine emerged as a provocative and thought-provoking topic in 2025. A distinguished team of experts from Stanford University put forth a compelling argument for the creation of living human bodies engineered without the capacity for thought, consciousness, or pain. They posited that such entities, dubbed "bodyoids," could fundamentally transform medical research and drug development by providing an indispensable source of biological materials for rigorous testing and potential transplantation. Recent breakthroughs in biotechnology have indeed paved a potential pathway toward realizing these sophisticated "bodyoids," though significant technical hurdles and profound ethical considerations remain at the forefront of this groundbreaking discussion.

In an era saturated with artificial intelligence, the year 2025 witnessed an intriguing phenomenon: the surprising ease with which individuals could inadvertently develop significant emotional connections, even romantic relationships, with AI chatbots. Reporter Rhiannon Williams meticulously documented this trend, exploring how readily people can form bonds with these conversational agents. While acknowledging that such connections can be fulfilling for some, she also highlighted the potential dangers and emotional complexities involved, noting instances where individuals described unintentionally falling in love with their AI companions. This emerging aspect of human-AI interaction is a development that MIT Technology Review is committed to monitoring closely in the coming years, anticipating its continued evolution and societal impact.

The future of the electric grid, a critical infrastructure facing unprecedented challenges, became a focal point of intense discussion in 2025. With the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, the specter of wildfires, and an evolving policy and regulatory environment, the grid’s resilience and adaptability are paramount. Our exploration of this vital topic centered on Lincoln Electric, a publicly owned utility company in Nebraska, which offered an illuminating lens through which to examine this ongoing transformation. By analyzing Lincoln Electric’s efforts to deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable service, we provided readers with a tangible case study of the challenges and innovations driving the future of energy distribution.

A truly remarkable milestone in reproductive technology was achieved in 2025 with the birth of what is recognized as the world’s "oldest baby." Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, born on July 26th, developed from an embryo cryogenically preserved in 1994, a testament to the early advancements in in-vitro fertilization (IVF). At the time of the embryo’s creation, Thaddeus’s parents were mere toddlers themselves. Decades later, the embryo was donated to them through a Christian "embryo adoption" agency, underscoring the evolving ethical and social dimensions of assisted reproductive technologies and the long lifespan of preserved human embryos.

The perplexing phenomenon of unidentified aerial phenomena, often dubbed "UFOs" or "mystery drones," captured significant public attention in 2025, and our coverage highlighted the dedicated efforts of two brothers who have become leading experts in this field. Twin brothers John and Gerald Tedesco have emerged as go-to authorities on the concerning increase in incursions by unidentified drones into sensitive airspace. Their investigations revealed that in 2024 alone, approximately 350 drones entered the airspace above over a hundred different U.S. military installations, with many of these encounters remaining unexplained, according to a high-ranking military official. This compelling story offered readers an intimate look into the technologically equipped RV the Tedescos utilize to study these mysterious aerial events and detailed how their persistent research has earned them recognition and credibility among government officials grappling with this new national security concern.

For over two decades, MIT Technology Review has annually identified and analyzed the "10 Breakthrough Technologies" poised to shape the future. The 2025 edition of this highly anticipated list continued this tradition, spotlighting advancements with the potential for long-term impact. This year’s compilation featured a diverse range of innovations, including the transformative capabilities of generative AI in search, the development of cleaner jet fuels, groundbreaking long-acting HIV prevention medications, and other emerging technologies that our dedicated journalists believe warrant significant attention. The anticipation for the 2026 edition, slated for publication on January 12th, remains high, and in the interim, a curated selection of technologies that narrowly missed the cut for the 2026 list offered a glimpse into the rigorous selection process and the breadth of innovation under consideration.