Women’s GenAI use catching up and could exceed that of men
Women’s adoption gap in GenAI usage is closing quickly. By 2025, women’s usage of GenAI is projected to meet or exceed that of men. But tech companies still should improve trust, representation in training models and diversity in the AI workforce, consultancy Deloitte says in a forecast for media and telecommunication 2025.
“In 2023, women’s use of GenAI was just half that of men. However, over the past year, the proportion of women in the US adopting GenAI has tripled, significantly outpacing the 2.2x growth rate seen among men.”
“Around the world, countries and regions are expected to close the adoption gap at varying rates with some achieving equal usage by men and women in 2025 and others in 2026.”
“While the rapid increase in women’s adoption of GenAI is promising, eliminating gender disparities in GenAI will require focused efforts. Women in tech – who are using GenAI more than their male counterparts for everyday tasks – can be an important cohort to help drive change”. says Gillian Crossan, Deloitte Global Technology Sector Leader.
“Tech companies must enhance trust, reduce bias, and strive for more diverse GenAI workforces – including at the leadership level – to ensure that everyone can fully engage with and benefit from GenAI technologies. By doing so, companies can unlock greater innovation and broaden their consumer base ensuring products and services are equitable and effective globally.”
25% of enterprises using GenAI are forecast to use AI agents in 2025, growing to 50% by 2027.
Other key findings:
- Electricity consumption by global data centers is forecasted to double to 4% by 2030 as power-intensive GenAI consumption grows faster than other uses and applications.
- In 2025, the share of shipped GenAI enabled smartphones could exceed 30%, in addition to about 50% of laptops with local GenAI processing capabilities.
- The number of streaming video-on-demand subscriptions (SVOD) per household is forecast to peak in 2025 at four services in the US and a little over two in Europe, then decline going forward.
- Wireless telecom mergers and acquisitions are likely to rise, especially in Europe, enhancing network resilience and efficiency.
- 25% of enterprises using GenAI are expected to deploy AI agents in 2025, growing to 50% by 2027.
“The growth of AI agents—software solutions designed to complete tasks with minimal human intervention—will be fuelled by innovation from both start-ups and established industry leaders identifying new revenue opportunities.”
“While the ultimate aim is to achieve autonomous and dependable agents, Deloitte expects significant improvements in their capabilities in 2025 as these technologies rapidly advance, with agentic AI moving past pilots and proofs of concepts in some markets and for some applications in 2025.”
“While early adopters will grapple with complexities and challenges, the vision is compelling enough for organisations to take proactive steps to prepare themselves now for adoption. This evolution will enable AI agents to tackle a broader range of applications, providing businesses with valuable tools to drive productivity of knowledge workers and efficiency gains in workflows of all kinds.”
Video-on-demand
After peaking at around four subscriptions per consumer in the US and over two in most European markets in 2024, Deloitte predicts that SVOD stacking—the trend of subscribing to multiple standalone video-on-demand services—has reached its limit and will start declining in 2025.
“While standalone subscriptions are expected to decline, SVOD revenues may still rise as providers implement price hikes, tighten password-sharing policies, and enhance bundling options.”
The market is expected to stabilise with just two or three standalone direct to consumer SVOD players per market, complemented by aggregators. Echoing the traditional model of pay TV providers, Deloitte forecasts a resurgence of aggregation, where intermediaries—like telcos, pay TV platforms, and tech platforms—will consolidate multiple content sources into single offerings. This shift may reduce costs and create a more sustainable streaming ecosystem.
“This shift from a promising, user-centric model to a complex, fragmented experience has created a call for a return to aggregation, echoing the simplicity and accessibility that initially drove the streaming revolution,” says Kevin Westcott, Deloitte Global Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment (TM&E) Sector Leader.
“We now expect to see a new era of streaming, one that prioritises user experience and innovation. The future of AI-powered streaming lies in platforms that can anticipate individual preferences, deliver tailored content, and blur the lines between traditional viewing and interactive experiences.”
Telecom
There is expected to be an increased pace of wireless telecom consolidation, especially in Europe, beginning in 2025 and continuing on, creating a more viable and sustainable wireless ecosystem, especially in smaller markets.
While Deloitte forecasts that the overall number of M&A deals will remain steady at about 400, the focus will shift towards market-level consolidation, with smaller telecom companies targeted by larger players.
Since 2020, 13 telecom mergers have been approved or are under consideration, including six in the Americas, five in Asia-Pacific, and two in Europe, the report says.
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