The rapid advancement of technology continues to reshape industries, offering transformative benefits while introducing new regulatory challenges.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has released its latest Tech Horizons 2025 report, highlighting four emerging technologies poised for significant adoption within the next two to seven years: connected transport, quantum sensing and imaging, digital diagnostics and therapeutics, and synthetic media.

The report explores their potential applications, current state of development, and the privacy and data protection risks they may pose – of which, perhaps unsurprisingly, there are many.

Below, we’ll condense the ICO’s report down and give the main takeaways.

1 – Connected Transport

Connected transport is transforming how vehicles interact with their environment and passengers. By integrating advanced sensors, 5G connectivity, and sophisticated data processing, vehicles are becoming smarter and more autonomous.

Features like vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication enable cars to interact with other vehicles (V2V), infrastructure (V2I), and pedestrians (V2P), enhancing safety and reducing congestion. For example, V2V technology can alert drivers to sudden braking ahead, while V2I systems allow seamless toll payments.

However, the increasing reliance on data raises significant privacy concerns, according to the ICO report.

Connected vehicles collect vast amounts of personal data, including real-time location, driving patterns, and even biometric information like facial recognition for driver fatigue detection. Infotainment systems, which offer features like voice assistants and personalised content, further amplify data collection.

While these technologies promise improved safety and convenience, they also risk excessive data collection, profiling, and potential misuse of sensitive information.

The ICO emphasises the importance of transparency and lawful data processing. Organisations must ensure that drivers and passengers understand what data is being collected, by whom, and for what purpose.

The report goes on to recommend that privacy notices should be clear and accessible, even in the in-vehicle environment. Additionally, data minimisation principles must be upheld to avoid collecting unnecessary information, particularly for advertising or profiling purposes.

2- Quantum Sensing and Imaging

Quantum sensing and imaging technologies are – according to the report – set to revolutionise healthcare by offering new levels of precision and sensitivity.

Quantum sensors, which use quantum phenomena to detect subtle changes in magnetic fields, gravity, and temperature, could enable non-invasive diagnostics for conditions like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s. Quantum-enhanced imaging techniques, such as single-photon detectors, could also improve cancer screening and enable portable medical scanners.

While these advancements undoubtedly hold immense promise, they also involve processing sensitive personal data, including health information and neurodata. The ICO stresses that healthcare organisations must adhere to strict data protection standards, particularly when handling special category data.

With this in mind, data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) are essential to identify and mitigate risks, especially as quantum technologies enable more detailed insights into individuals’ health.

The UK government’s investment in quantum research hubs aims to accelerate adoption in healthcare, with a target for NHS trusts to access quantum sensing systems by 2030.

However, challenges such as technical limitations and commercial competition may slow widespread adoption. In the report, the ICO recommends embedding privacy by design into quantum technologies to ensure compliance with data protection laws and maintain public trust.

3 – Digital Diagnostics and Therapeutics

The report states that the digitalisation of healthcare is accelerating, driven by resource constraints, technological advances, and the impact of COVID-19.

Digital therapeutics, such as smart pills and AI-assisted diagnostics, are becoming integral to patient care. Smart pills, equipped with sensors, provide real-time health monitoring, while digital twins—virtual replicas of organs—enable personalised treatment plans.

AI-powered diagnostic tools are also gaining traction, according to the ICO, with applications in stroke detection, lung cancer diagnosis, and mental health assessment.

These innovations generate vast amounts of data, raising concerns about cybersecurity and data protection. Healthcare providers must ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of patient data, particularly as they adopt remote monitoring and AI-driven decision-making.

The ICO highlights the risks of bias and discrimination in AI systems, urging providers to implement safeguards to ensure fairness and transparency.

The report also underscores the importance of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) and data minimisation. By limiting data collection to what is necessary and ensuring robust security measures, healthcare providers can mitigate the risks of cyberattacks and unauthorised access.

4 – Synthetic Media

Synthetic media, generated using AI and machine learning, is increasingly used in entertainment, advertising, and personalised content. However, its potential for misuse, particularly in creating deepfakes, poses significant challenges.

Deepfakes, which convincingly manipulate media to depict false events, can be used for malicious purposes, including disinformation and fraud.

Ofcom research, published in August of last year, found that 43% of people aged 16+ say they have seen at least one deepfake online in the last six months – rising to 50% among children aged 8-15.

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The ICO calls for robust detection methods to combat malicious synthetic media. Techniques such as certification of provenance, watermarking, and AI-driven detection systems are being developed to identify manipulated content. However, these methods must comply with data protection laws, particularly when processing personal data.

The report also emphasises the role of media literacy and social measures in addressing the risks of synthetic media. Educating the public to recognise and question suspicious content can complement technical solutions.

The Tech Horizons 2025 report – while undoubtedly cheerleading the promise of new applications of developing tech – essentially creates a defensible position for the regulator. Clearly, it foresees the intrinsic role that personal data will play in informing the functionality of these technologies

As such, the report serves as a useful guide for developers and users to have a sense of what privacy concerns they should have in mind as we move through a year that’s likely to see some practical application of these technology’s long gestation.