The Biggest AI Moments of 2025: Surveillance, Layoffs, and Robots

Artificial intelligence shaped nearly every corner of tech in 2025 as organizations weighed how to integrate new capabilities while managing operational and governance challenges.

The year’s major developments reflected technical progress, workforce shifts, security concerns, and the realities of deploying AI at scale. Companies and institutions experimented with new AI tools, regulators worked to understand emerging risks, and researchers pushed boundaries, shaping both opportunities and concerns.

To help bring the year into focus, we highlighted the five stories that had the strongest impact on public conversation and the direction of the industry.

OpenAI uncovers China-linked AI surveillance efforts

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OpenAI’s investigation into malicious use of its models revealed the first known instance of an AI-powered surveillance tool targeting Western protests. 

In its report, the company provided details on how Chinese threat actors used ChatGPT to generate marketing materials for a social media monitoring system designed to feed real-time intelligence about Western protests to Chinese security services. Researchers noted that the threat actors also used OpenAI’s model to debug code that included components built on a version of Meta’s Llama model. 

The activity was uncovered as part of OpenAI’s broader review of influence operations leading up to the 2024 APEC Forum, where another set of China-linked accounts used models to generate short comments in English criticizing Chinese dissident Cai Xia and Spanish-language articles focusing on US social and political divisions.

OpenAI said that it was the first time that a Chinese influence actor successfully published AI-generated content in mainstream outlets in Latin America.

Workers confront a changing job landscape

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Labor concerns grew in 2025 as the Pew Research Center reported that 19% of US workers fear their current roles could be automated within the next two decades. 

Jobs built around repetitive and data-heavy tasks — such as data entry, clerks, telemarketers, and cashiers — continue to face the most pressure as AI platforms handle more routine workflows. Blue-collar positions that involve predictable physical tasks like assembly line work also saw increased automation through advanced robotics. 

Meanwhile, careers that emphasize creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving prove to be less vulnerable to automation. Healthcare professionals, teachers, social workers, and creative professionals are better positioned to thrive in an AI-driven future. There’s also a growing demand for technical roles in the AI industry, including AI engineers, data scientists, and cybersecurity specialists.

Humanoid robots enter the global stage

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The first World Humanoid Robot Games, held from Aug. 15-17, in Beijing, brought together 280 teams from 16 countries to compete in events ranging from soccer and martial arts to table tennis and industrial handling. 

China’s Unitree Robotics team took home the most wins with 11 medals, followed by X-Humanoid with 10 medals. The humanoid robots demonstrated their abilities in soccer, running, martial arts, track and field, table tennis, and more.

While the robots exhibit exceptional balance, coordination, and autonomy, they occasionally experience spills. For instance, a goalkeeper fell to the ground after its opponent scored in a soccer match, and another robot had to be carried off the These competitions offer a valuable testing ground for industrial applications before deploying them commercially. 

The robotics industry continues to expand, with companies such as Tesla, NVIDIA, Hugging Face, and Intel rolling out new models and investments. According to China’s Xinhua News Agency, the second World Humanoid Robot Games is scheduled for August 2026. 

Waymo releases major safety results

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A peer-reviewed study covering 56 million rider-only miles found Waymo vehicles dramatically outperformed human drivers. This includes an 85 percent reduction in suspected serious injuries and steep declines in pedestrian, cyclist, and intersection crashes. 

The results came as Waymo expanded from 10,000 weekly rides in May 2023 to 250,000 in April 2025, with projections nearing one million weekly rides by early 2026.

The competitive landscape also grew more active, with Amazon’s Zoox launching its driverless service in Las Vegas, Chinese players WeRide and Pony AI preparing for 2026 deployments in Singapore, and Tesla’s fully autonomous robotaxi entering service in Austin.

Bigger cities, including New Yor,k also approved Waymo testing programs, while Singapore fast-tracked permits. Despite the compelling safety data, experts say the real challenge is whether regulators and the public will be able to adapt quickly enough to match the technology’s pace.

OpenAI faces internal alarm over AGI risks

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OpenAI continued to see high-profile departures throughout 2025, building on a wave that began in November 2023.

The exits included co-founders Ilya Sutskever and John Schulman, former Super Alignment head Jan Leike, former safety researcher Steven Adler, and Senior Advisor for AGI Preparedness Miles Brundage. Many departing employees expressed that the company is more focused on rapid innovation and product launches rather than properly addressing the risks associated with artificial general intelligence (AGI). 

Leike has been vocal about the issue, saying, “We’re long overdue in getting serious about the implications of AGI.” The discussion gained attention as researchers pointed to experiments in China showing the development of self-replicating behaviors among AI models without human intervention.

As global regulators in the European Union (EU), China, and the US worked on new AI governance frameworks, the high-profile resignations highlighted ongoing concerns about oversight, long-term planning, and the pace at which AI models are advancing.

Bottom line: See where AI’s 2025 momentum sets up 2026

The top AI stories of 2025 showed a field advancing quickly while tackling issues on deployment, oversight, and long-term impact. 

From surveillance misuse and workforce pressure to robotics and internal issues within AI companies, each story offered a snapshot of how AI shaped the year’s technology landscape. As organizations, researchers, and regulators prepare for another year of rapid development, the momentum built in 2025 will play a central role in shaping what comes next.

Learn more about the organizations and enterprises influencing AI’s direction and shaping the industry’s next phase at eWeek’s review of the top AI companies. 
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