Beyond the Breakthroughs: MIT Tech Review Preps Its List of 2025's 'Worst Technologies'

As 2025 draws to a close, it's clear the year was anything but quiet. Artificial intelligence became further embedded in our daily lives, weight-loss drugs expanded their reach, and the biotech world delivered some genuinely shocking developments in gene therapy, IVF, and neurotech.

According to its weekly biotech newsletter, 'The Checkup', the team at MIT Technology Review is already preparing its highly anticipated list of breakthrough technologies for 2026, slated for publication in the new year. But before they look forward, they're also looking back—with a critical eye.

Journalist Antonio Regalado is compiling his traditional, and arguably more provocative, list: the year's worst technologies. While the industry often celebrates its victories, this annual feature forces a necessary conversation about the missteps, the overhyped, and the ethically questionable innovations that marked the year. It serves as a crucial reality check on the true pace and direction of progress.

PRISM Insight: The Rise of Tech Accountability

PRISM Insight: The growing interest in lists detailing tech 'failures' or 'worst ideas' signals a maturing industry. Beyond the relentless hype cycle of breakthroughs, there is an increasing demand for accountability. This trend highlights that innovation isn't just about celebrating what works; it's about critically examining the societal cost, ethical implications, and unintended consequences of what doesn't. The focus is shifting from pure capability to responsible implementation.