5 takeaways from 2025

This year felt a bit like being on a bumpy plane ride.

There was the ascent of the Trump 2.0 era, followed by the whiplash of his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs and the persistent cost-of-living crisis. 

2025 was filled with plenty of turbulence, from the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine to heartbreaking flooding in South East Asia to a mass shooting in Australia. There were also signs of potentially calmer skies ahead, with a Gaza peace plan underway, along with some countries making trade deals with U.S. President Donald Trump as stock markets soared to new heights. 

Below, we dive into what people around the world were thinking and feeling about 2025 and some predictions for what may lay ahead in 2026.

1. What goes way up takes time to come all the way down

At the start of this decade inflation was a non-issue for the vast majority, with just 11% (on average globally) saying it was a top worry in January 2020.

That has changed as the decade unfurls.

The COVID-19 pandemic sent the price of everything from toilet paper to cars up, then post-pandemic spending, paired with low-interest rates and rising labor and material pressures, threw gas on the inflation fire.

Concern about rising costs peaked globally in February 2023, with 43% (on average, across 29 countries) saying inflation was a concern.

At the start of this year cost-of-living worry was down to 32%. Then, Trump’s tariff war threw more kindle on the flames.

Even so, as 2025 wraps up concern about inflation has cooled to 30% this month but remains 19 percentage points (pp) higher than it was at the start of this decade.

When, or if, inflation worry will dip back down to January 2020 levels remains to be seen.

For now, the majority are still feeling the pinch, with the latest wave of the Ipsos Cost of Living Monitor finding three in five (59% on average across 30 countries) report they are just about getting by or finding it difficult to manage financially these days and 26% predicting inflation will never return to normal in their country.

2. Hope does not spring eternal

While cost-of-living crisis is top of mind, the climate crisis continues to hover lower down.

At the start of this decade, 16% said climate change was a pressing issue.

Concern remains muted.

Even though 2023, then 2024, were the hottest years on record, followed by yet another year filled with floods, heatwaves and forest fires a mere 13% now say climate change is a key worry. 

A certain pessimism, or fatalism, appears to have set in.

Our annual Earth Day polling reveals while 64%, on average globally, agree in 2025 that if people like them don’t act now to combat climate change, they will be failing future generations – that’s down 9pp from 75% who said the same in 2021 when we first started asking about personal responsibility. 

And less than one-quarter (22%) currently trust the environmental claims by companies about their products or processes. Plus, just under one-third (32%) in 2025 think their country's government has a clear plan in place for how government, businesses, and people themselves are going to work together to tackle climate change.

Faith that the fight against climate change will be won seems to be waning. Ultimately, it’s up to individuals, businesses and politicians what kind of Earth the young will inherit.

3. AI is inspiring wonder and worry

It’s always been hard to be young, but right now it’s arguably harder than ever.

There’s the climate crisis blaring in the background like a car alarm down the street, while more immediate worries appear on Generation Zers’* smartphone screens.

Top of mind for many workers, but particularly those just trying to start their careers is artificial intelligence (AI). The latest wave of the Ipsos AI Monitor finds almost half (45% on average across 30 countries) of Gen Zers think AI will take their job in the next five years, followed closely by Millennials (39%). Meanwhile, three in five (59%) of all respondents predict the nascent tech will change how they do their current job over the next five years.

It’s not all doom and gloom.

Slightly more than one-third (38%) think AI will make their job better over the next 3-5 years. And just over half of all respondents (52%) say products and services using AI make them excited.

As Darrell Bricker, Global CEO for Ipsos Public Affairs, notes in the Ipsos Year in Review 2025 report: 

Artificial intelligence promises abundance and cures. It also threatens jobs, privacy, and autonomy. People cannot imagine life without it. They also believe it is destroying their lives. Both things are true.

4. Mind the gaps, for now

In these tense times, Gen Z women are zigging while Gen Z men are zagging.

Once again our global polling finds that younger males and females are disagreeing on several social and political issues.

In the era of manfluencers and tradwives clogging up Gen Zers’ social media feeds it’s not that surprising that online polarization seems to have seeped into real life. The Netflix show Adolescence sparked a conversation about the misogyny running through youth culture these days.

Amid this polarized environment our annual International Women’s Day polling finds younger men and women continue to diverge more than older generations on everything from whether they call themselves a feminist to whether men are expected to do too much to support equality.

As more Gen Zers, the oldest of which are turning 30 in 2026, step off college campuses and into the workforce it will interesting to see if these gaps between young men and women persist. Stay tuned.

5. Life can be tough; love and money can help

Despite the challenges we’ve all faced this decade so far, from the pandemic to inflation most people are happy.

Our annual Happiness survey finds 71%, on average across 30 countries, say they’re happy.

Those in low-income households are the least likely to say they’re happy (62%), lagging behind people in middle-income (71%) and high-income households (75%).
And one’s financial situation is by far seen as the biggest driver of unhappiness (58%), followed by one’s mental health and well-being (30%).

Of course, as the saying goes money can’t literally buy happiness … but it doesn’t appear to hurt.

On a sweeter note, our polling also reveals there’s some truth to the adage that the best things in life are free as relationships with one’s family/kids is the biggest driver of happiness, alongside feeling appreciated/loved.

Like this year the 12 months to come will certainly have some turbulence, but most predict sunnier times just over the horizon.

Almost three-quarters (71% on average across 30 countries), and the majority in all countries, think 2026 will be better than 2025. 

Views on money matters are cloudier.

The proportion saying the current economic situation in their country is good stayed the same or rose in 20 of 30 countries in the Ipsos What Worries the World monitor, while economic sentiment dipped in 10 countries, year-over-year. At the same time, just under half (49%) predict the global economy will be stronger next year than this year, while 51% disagree. And 48% think their country will be in recession in 2026, while 33% don’t think this is likely.

As 2025 has taught us anything can happen.

Buckle up!

Melissa Dunne is a senior data journalist with Ipsos and is based in Canada.

For more on the year that was and what might lie ahead check out the Ipsos Year in Review 2025 and our year-end webinar.

*Generation Z (born between 1996-2012), Millennials (born between 1980-1995), Generation X (born between 1966-1979) and Baby Boomers (born between 1945-1965).