It’s that most wonderful time. We’re prepping Destrier’s predictions for the AR industry in 2026 (stay tuned). So, of course, we started by looking back at our predictions for 2025. Today, these might feel like “no-brainers” because hindsight is an exact science.

TL;dr – four were bang on, two more may still come true (just not in 2025), and one hasn’t yet materialized, although we’re sure it will in 2026.

We looked forward to the Informa Tech/TechTarget analyst powerhouse. Our score: Partially correct. Informa TechTarget launched integrated products and reported operational progress, with cost benefits and AI-enhanced growth in intent data – but the jury’s still out on its evolution as an analyst powerhouse.

We warned of Forrester’s further decline. Correct. Forrester posted ongoing revenue declines (8% YoY in Q2 and Q3 2025, contract value down to $288.7M), shrinking client counts (12% drop), and headcount reductions (8% lower in Q3), aligning with waning relevance and thin margins.

We expected Gartner EMQ expansion. WRONG! This felt like a solid bet, but EMQs got bogged down in 2025. We’ll wait.

We foresaw process changes to the Gartner MQ. Partially correct. MQs now universally use the Provider Information Portal, confirming the industrialization of web-based data. However, there’s still no confirmation of a formal shift back to direct customer references for MQs, rather than Peer Insights.

We anticipated a proliferation of alternative analyst firms. Correct. Challenger evaluations from Everest, ISG, and Verdantix all gained traction, with more major vendors promoting their recognition in these reports. This puts pressure on IDC MarketScapes and Forrester Waves amid finite AR resources. However, let’s face it, it doesn’t make much of a dent in explaining away a poor performance in an MQ – at least, not yet. Above that, it was a strong year for Everest, which is nearing top-tier status due to its growing mindshare.

We sensed a further surge in Document Review. Correct. There are no hard facts, but Gartner introduced more guardrails and limitations, which is a clear sign.

And finally … We highlighted the ongoing GenAI Revolution in AR. Correct. In 2024, everyone was experimenting with AI, but nobody talked about it. In 2025, that changed, with AR teams increasingly adopting GenAI for briefings, competitor analysis and insights. New commercial tools to automate RFIs have also emerged.

Stay tuned for our 2026 predictions!