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As a small or medium-sized business owner, you already wear a lot of hats. From managing day-to-day operations to keeping customers happy, staying on top of everything can be challenging—especially in such a rapidly changing environment.
In 2025, new terms and trends are popping up that may sound like buzzwords, but they’re shaping how businesses work, sell, and grow. We’ve put together a simple glossary of 10 key terms and trends that are shaping the business world right now, so you can spot what’s relevant for your business and make confident, future-ready decisions.
Agentic AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can work on its own without needing people to guide it all the time. Unlike regular AI, which merely provides suggestions or performs simple tasks based on queries, agentic AI can plan, decide, and act independently to achieve its goals. According to Gartner, by 2029, agentic AI is expected to independently handle 80 per cent of typical customer service problems without the need for human involvement.1
Example: Imagine a small shop where an agentic AI watches your stock levels and automatically orders new supplies before you run out. It can also answer customer questions right away, day or night, without human intervention.
Phygital is a mix of “physical” and “digital”, sometimes called click and mortar. It means combining online and in-store shopping so customers have a smooth and connected experience, no matter how they shop.
Today’s shoppers expect things to be easy and consistent whether they’re buying from their phone or visiting a store. Businesses that make shopping simple both online and offline keep customers happy and coming back.
Example: A clothing boutique allowing shoppers to scan QR codes on products to check stock online or pay using a mobile point-of-sale (POS) device anywhere in the store.
Hyperautomation means using several smart technologies together—like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robots that do repetitive tasks (robotic process automation), and data analysis to fully automate complicated business processes from start to finish. A research report from Spherical Insights & Consulting states that the global hyperautomation market was valued at USD 43.32 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to USD 198.96 billion by 2033.2
Instead of just automating one small task, hyperautomation helps you automate entire workflows, making things faster and easier.
Example: Imagine a small online store. Instead of manually entering sales data, checking payments, and organizing shipments, hyperautomation can automatically update your bookkeeping when a sale happens, match payments to orders without you doing it manually, and even manage packing and shipping notifications automatically. This means less time spent on repetitive tasks and more time to focus on growing the business.
GEO is the practice of optimizing online content specifically for AI-powered search and answer engines. Traditional SEO focuses on getting your website noticed by search engines like Google using keywords. GEO, on the other hand, is about creating clear and direct answers that AI tools can quickly find and share when someone asks a question.
As more people rely on AI assistants for product recommendations or quick answers, your business needs to be AI-visible and easy for these systems to recommend.
Example: If you sell handmade candles, instead of just crowding your website with keywords like “best candles” or “buy candles online,” you would write simple, clear content that answers questions such as, “What makes handmade candles better than regular ones?”, “How long do your candles burn?”, “Are your candles safe for people with allergies?”
When an AI assistant gets a question about candles, it can pick up your clear answers and suggest your business to the customer.
FOBO is a growing feeling of anxiety experienced by workers and business owners who worry they might fall behind because of fast-changing technology, especially AI.
This fear is real and widespread. The best way to combat FOBO is through continuous learning and adaptability. Staying informed and upgrading skills will help your business stay competitive and your team feel confident.
XAI refers to AI systems that make their decisions easy for people to understand. Instead of just giving an answer, XAI also explains why it made a certain recommendation or took a specific action.
Trust is crucial. If an AI system flags a payment or denies a customer return, you want to understand why and be able to explain that to your customers or team. This transparency reduces confusion and builds confidence in AI tools.
Example: Your online store’s AI detects a suspicious payment and stops it. With XAI, you’ll see that it flagged the payment because it matched patterns of fraud, like an unusual location or a high amount. You can then confidently tell your customer why the payment was stopped.
Instead of being the first to introduce a new product or service, fast followers watch what early adopters do. They learn from what works well and what doesn’t, then quickly launch their own improved or slightly different versions.
This way, businesses take less risk and spend less money trying something brand new. Small businesses can do well by staying alert and adapting, instead of rushing to be first.
Example: A small coffee shop notices a competitor’s successful seasonal drink. Then they launch their own version with a twist, maybe a different flavour or a better price, which attracts customers without the guesswork of being first.
The gig economy has matured into a more supportive environment for freelancers and contract workers, offering benefits like healthcare options, skill development and community networks. A survey conducted in partnership with the Angus Reid Institute revealed that close to 25 per cent of participants are involved in some form of gig work or side hustle.3
Many businesses increasingly rely on gig workers. Understanding this new phase helps you attract and retain talented freelancers while respecting their needs.
Example: Let’s say you run a marketing agency and need help with design. Instead of hiring a full-time employee, you bring in a freelance graphic designer. To build a strong relationship, you offer steady projects, flexible deadlines , and even access to online courses. The designer feels valued and keeps working with you long-term.
Living Intelligence is a new idea where technologies like AI, sensors, and biotechnology work together to create systems that can sense what’s happening around them, learn from it and adjust on their own without human help.
Although it’s still in the early stages, this kind of smart system could help businesses react in real time to things like customer needs, weather changes, or supply chain problems.
Example: Imagine a grocery store that can tell when certain fruits are running low, order more automatically, and adjust prices based on freshness and demand, all without anyone needing to step in.
Regenerative Business goes beyond just “doing less harm.” It’s about giving back more than you take by helping the environment, local communities, and the economy grow stronger through your business activities.
More consumers are choosing brands that create a measurable, positive impact. By adopting regenerative practices, businesses can stand out and build long-term trust and value.
Example: A clothing brand that not only uses organic cotton but also restores soil health, supports local farmers, and creates jobs in underserved areas is practicing regenerative business.
The business landscape in 2025 is full of new opportunities and challenges. These 10 terms are more than buzzwords. They represent the direction technology and customer behaviour are heading. As a small or medium business owner, understanding them will help you make smarter decisions, better serve your customers, and grow your business sustainably.
You don’t have to adopt every trend immediately. Start with what fits your business and your customers best. Whether it’s testing agentic AI or adding phygital shopping experiences, staying informed is the way to ensure growth and success.
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