2025 in Review

2025 Marked a highly successful, engaging year for the global computer science and engineering community. IEEE Computer Society (CS) activities in 2025 set the stage for the future, supporting the society’s mission of empowering the future of the industry, enabling new opportunities to better serve our world.

Through journals and magazines, conference programs and proceedings, and standards work, IEEE CS supported the expansion of global knowledge in the fields of computer science and engineering.

Publishing industry accolades also reiterated the high standard of IEEE CS publications. IEEE Software was honored by APEX, a leading annual competition for communication and publishers, in the Magazines, Journals & Tabloids category for the issue “Well-being for Resilience — Developers Thrive!” (Jul.-Aug. 2024).

Beyond their astounding impact, journals also achieved the milestone of broadened accessibility. By issuing journals that represent the full spectrum of engineering disciplines, IEEE continuously creates an inclusive publishing platform for the global research community. In 2025, authors could choose from a wide array of ways to publish, from traditional journals to fully open access opportunities. With IEEE’s goal of supporting all authors and readers globally, the organization sought and continues to strive to offer any author a publication opportunity that is compliant with their circumstances, regardless of their funding status, the publishing mandates they may have in place, or where in the world they may work.

Computer Society Conferences Achieved New Milestones in Pivotal Topic Areas

From quantum science and engineering to computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to high-performance computing (HPC), the topics affecting the global community are ever-present in CS conferences, which deliver the most advanced technical content and industry dialogue. For instance, in 2025, IEEE Quantum Week broke all previous registration records, while SC continued its massive growth trajectory reaching 16,500+ attendees and 524 exhibitors and earning a place as one of Trade Show Executive’s Fastest Growing Conferences. For its part, the IEEE CS/Computer Vision Foundation Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) reflected the industry’s emphasis on technical advancement with the highest number of paper submissions ever—12,008, a 13% increase over 2024—and once again earning the number two spot in 2025 Google Scholar Metrics.

In addition to speaking to the future of the field through expanding attendance, enhanced technical content, and thriving industry exhibitions, CS conferences also stand the test of time. Consider that in 2025, the IEEE CS Conference on Local Computer Networks (LCN) celebrated its 50th year as an event. Just as the foundation of networking has changed over time, so, too, has the conference evolved to adapt to the shifting research landscape and address global needs.

These represent a few examples of the massive impact the society’s conferences and technical and networking events had on this community in 2025. Each year, they serve as a solid foundation of knowledge sharing that helps advance the future of the field.

A core tenet of the Computer Society’s mission, initiatives that support new technical areas, growth amongst young people, and underserved populations help to advance the field of computer science and engineering. Through programs and initiatives that drive curiosity, knowledge, and technical advancements, IEEE CS empowers future leaders to excel. 

Emerging Technology and Broadening Participation Funds Empowered New Communities

For instance, IEEE CS’ Emerging Technology and Broadening Participation Grants pave the path to the future. Because they fund programs that support the next generation of computer scientists and engineers and those in underserved populations, these grants engage a wider community and strengthen both passion for and diversity of the field. Consider the impact of the following funded programs in 2025:

• From Isolation to Innovation: Establishing a Computer Training Center to Empower Hinterland Communities (Broadening Participation Fund) – Bridging the digital divide in remote, rural communities teaches residents how to utilize technology to enhance their own lives and those of people in and around their communities. The program established a solar-powered computer training center with internet access and 20 connected computers at Umueze, a Nigerian community that previously lacked access to such resources.

• Empowering Disabled Students Through Teaching Tech: The TechAble Training Initiative at KNUST (Broadening Participation Fund) – The TechAble training initiative at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana provided mentorship and high-quality instruction for three courses: web development, graphic design, and digital marketing. Accessibility was a core focus of the TechAble program, and the program helped participants recognize that challenges should not prevent them from acquiring valuable skills. 

• Tech Horizons: Empowering Panama’s Youth with AI Skills. The Tech Horizons initiative in Panama brought AI and programming education to diverse high schoolers, including those in Indigenous communities. Through virtual sessions and hands-on workshops, the initiative transformed participants’ skills from basic to intermediate or advanced levels. Achieving a 93.3% completion rate, the program inspired 75% of learners to pursue tech careers. Partnerships with local universities ensured this successful model for digital literacy and tech inclusion remains sustainable.
• TechMovel! Bringing Technology to all Realities. TechMovel initiative expanded digital access in Brazil. Functioning as a mobile classroom, it traveled to remote communities, including Indigenous and Quilombola communities in Rio Grande do Norte, to provide computing and internet skills training. Led by multidisciplinary volunteers from the IEEE CS UFRN Student Branch Chapter, the project delivered tailored learning paths to 207 participants.

Competitions Drove Connectedness

Another forum to inspire technical solutions, IEEE CS hosts competitions in support of community interests. For example, in 2025, the Low-Power Computer Vision Challenge (LPCVC), sponsored by Qualcomm, brought together 77 teams from 25 countries to push the boundaries of efficient AI and edge computing. Having started a decade before, the challenge has grown with the industry, supporting work on today’s more complex problems facing computer vision. 

When we started [LPCVC] in 2015, only dozens of people participated. Now hundreds of people from many countries are interested in these topics. Participating in LPCVC gives [people] an opportunity to compete with the world’s top researchers. For the field, LPCVC gives researchers from different organizations and countries a chance to share their best solutions. Together, they propel the technology forward.”

Yung-Hsiang Lu, LPCVC founder and organizer

Enterprise GenAI Summit Explored Emerging AI Tools

The 2025 IEEE Computer Society Enterprise Generative AI Summit (Enterprise GenAI Summit) took a practical, industry-focused approach, emphasizing real-world applications, challenges, and balanced perspectives. Strategy sessions reiterated that GenAI success begins with strategic clarity: defining ROI beyond engagement metrics, treating proprietary data as a long-term advantage, and designing systems that balance automation with human judgment. Execution-focused sessions highlighted the importance of decomposing GenAI systems, testing models in real-world environments, aligning infrastructure with unstructured data and operational workflows, and integrating human oversight—a key issue mentioned across summit talks, while governance sessions underscored standards, trust, and safety as foundational—not optional—for enterprise GenAI adoption. In all, the event offered practical, actionable information and addressed IT managers’ key questions.

Technology Predictions Forecast Forthcoming Trends

Championing emerging technologies requires a deep assessment of the current landscape and a strategic review of how it applies to the evolution of the field. Annually, IEEE CS embarks on its Technology Predictions Report to cast a glance into the near-term developments to expect and the longer horizon on new technologies. Specifically, in 2025, it focused on leveling the AI playing field with new forms of Large Language Model (LLM) deployment; expanding access to drones; exploring the commercial success of AI agents; creating more widespread evaluation of AI-enhanced robotics; and increasing conceptualization of wearables/biomarkers in medicine/wellness, among other trends. 

Local and Student Chapters Explored Critical Topics

IEEE CS Local and Student Chapters extend the society’s mission into their personal geographies. From exploring new technologies to tackling societal challenges, Local and Student Chapters provide grassroots efforts to bring computer science and engineering to individual communities. Consider the following 2025 events:

[Attendees’] ability to apply emerging technologies toward solving local societal challenges reinforced IEEE’s mission of advancing technology for humanity. [Overall], the Summit acted as a catalyst for enhanced collaboration among academia, industry, innovators, and development partners, paving the way for sustained initiatives that leverage emerging technologies for societal resilience, inclusive growth, and humanitarian impact.”

Henry Lutwama, NIS Organizing Chair

CS Juniors Engaged a Younger Generation

The IEEE Computer Society (CS) Juniors is a global program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to explore and excel in IEEE Computer Society related disciplines. The goal of the program is to spark curiosity in computer science, build lasting relationships with students, educators, and communities. In 2025, the following programs took place in support of CS Juniors’ goals:

• The Cybersecurity & AI Junior School Workshop: Bridging the Digital Skills Gap for Future Innovators – This workshop encouraged digital and computing skills development for secondary school students and teachers, giving them accessible, practical education in cybersecurity and AI.
• Igniting Young Minds: The Impact of IEEE CS Juniors STEMpire on Karnataka, Indian Students – Reaching over 1,200 students in sixth through tenth grade across seven Karnataka engineering campuses, this program delivered experiential learning and STEM exposure to people from a variety of backgrounds, sparking new possibilities in urban and rural youth.
• CS Juniors: ChiTech Discovery Days – This program engaged students from Chicago-area schools with limited access to computer science education, expanding their educational and professional opportunities. 
• IEEE Computer Society Junior Camp: Giving Students and Teachers Hands-On STEAM Experiences – This program built inclusive STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) sessions that exposed participants to drone programming for kids, Micro:bit student projects, and educational technology workshops. 
• How to Inspire K-12 Students to Study in Computing Disciplines in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Byte-A-Dynamo Workshops – These sessions delivered artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science teaching to students (ages 10-16) from low-income families in Maryland who have no or minimal computing backgrounds. These free workshops introduced coding, cybersecurity, and STEAM to broaden the impact of computing education on a larger scale.
• Future Innovators Unite: IEEE Computer Society Juniors Program Empowers Students with AI Knowledge – Over two days, junior, middle, and high school students in Japan learned about AI through creative, hands-on activities like game development and virtual reality. Participants learned programming skills using SEGA Corporation’s puzzle game, “Puyo Puyo.” They also learned to leverage AI within Minecraft, a sandbox-style digital game, equipping them with knowledge on applying artificial intelligence to advance their communities.
• Kenya TechXperience – High school students in Kenya participated in a two-day immersive STEM program that explored emerging technologies, helped develop problem-solving skills, and offered early exposure to careers in computing and engineering under the IEEE ecosystem. Participants engaged in four core technical tracks: Internet of Things (IoT), Embedded Systems, Robotics, and Virtual Reality (VR), alongside soft skills sessions covering teamwork, communication, pitching, human-centered design thinking, and community-based problem solving.

IEEE TryEngineering Drove Global Engagement

IEEE TryEngineering and the Pre-University Education Coordination Committee inspire the engineers of tomorrow. In 2025, in partnership with the Computer Society, the initiatives expanded the global reach, and encouraged school-aged children to consider careers in engineering. 

For instance, US$10,000 in STEM Outreach Grants reached 135 students and 115 parents. These grants funded Project CHETNA, which was a community outreach initiative in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, designed to strengthen digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and practical STEM learning for learners at different stages of life; and the Artificial Intelligence Collection Page and its featured resources–available in 54 languages–which drew more than 21,700 active users from around the world. 

In addition, the 2025 TryEngineering Summer Institute (TESI) sparked enthusiasm in engineering and technology in the next generation of problem-solvers and difference-makers. This nine-day summer program took place on U.S. college campuses and allowed students to build, create, and explore technology outside of the classroom. Guest speakers shared their experiences, and students explored labs and industry to see engineering in action. US$25,000 allowed eight students to attend TESI at no cost to their families.

Overall, in 2025, these events impacted 50,373 students, engaged 2,788 teachers, and engaged 4,220 IEEE volunteers. 

Conferences Amped Up Sustainability Efforts

Seeking to support global sustainability efforts and reduce the environmental impact on future generations, the IEEE CS Sustainability Ad Hoc Committee worked with conference committees in 2025 to lead more sustainable events. Formal efforts were launched at IEEE International Conference on Data Engineering (IEEE ICDE) 2025, International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE) 2025, LCN 2025, IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications (PerCom) 2025, Quantum Week 2025, and IEEE Security and Privacy (S&P) 2025. Each of these conferences made shifts to help support an eco-friendlier overall experience. For example, at LCN 2025, the committee used the IEEE Computer Society sustainability checklist to evaluate where they could implement sustainable procedures. This included sustainable lunches, remote participation options, and consistent messaging to attendees that encouraged them to choose sustainable choices for their meals and refreshments; minimize their travel between venues; and participate remotely, whenever possible.