Chasing Green Cars

All the cars I drove when I operated undercover were green. Even FBI investigators subscribe to a little bit of superstition, and mine was the color of my car (A.K.A. the “Bureau Vehicle”). Early in my career, I narrowly missed a potentially crippling accident on Washington, DC’s Interstate 495—the Beltway, as we locals call it. Two cars collided ahead of me in the number one lane, and it took incredibly sharp reflexes, courtesy of loads of coffee and adrenaline, a keen eye for my surroundings, and maybe a touch of divine intervention to avoid disaster. Somehow, as cars piled into the chaos around me, I managed to steer through unscathed. The Ford Explorer I piloted through that mess was forest green.

When it came time to pick my next car in the rotation, I begged, borrowed, and threatened my way into a bright green Jeep Cherokee. From that moment on, green cars became my lucky charm.

All my cars were green, including the one I sat in on a lonely New Year’s Eve years ago with my partner, Citrus. While you’ll have to read Gray Day to learn why I received the code name “Werewolf,” Citrus earned hers because she was from Florida. Sometimes, code names don’t come with a ridiculous backstory.

We had shared countless surveillances, sitting quietly in cars as dusk turned to night or morning rush hour sped by. Together, we had staked out smoky bars and infiltrated events, all to keep a close watch on suspected spies or terrorists. So, it wasn’t unusual to find ourselves parked outside an Alexandria, Virginia, apartment building ten minutes before the ball dropped in distant New York City to ring in the new year. Undercover operatives move when their targets move, sleep when they sleep, and eat…well, you get the idea. Snow days don’t exist, and when you hear the term “essential personnel,” that was us. While friends and family partied across the city, we were on the job, watching the road below a rooftop party where our target sipped champagne and listened to bad techno music.

Other ghosts on our team had the target in pocket. There’s an art to sneaking into a party uninvited. While I’d done my share of it in the past, Citrus and I had drawn backup position in the surveillance rotation that night.

One minute to midnight. The radio crackled with the countdown, and we joined in as Dick Clark proclaimed the new year. Just then, the sky exploded.

We stepped out of the car and looked up. Fireworks erupted from rooftops, lighting up the night. Music echoed down the street, mingling with cheers from the partiers. I imagined the champagne toasts, the hugs, the resolutions. For a moment, we just stared, smiling in quiet wonder.

New Year’s Eve is about new possibilities. Fresh starts. Every year is a chance to reinvent yourself, embrace opportunities, and leave behind what no longer serves you. In 2024, I left my position as General Counsel to focus on entrepreneurship. I doubled my public speaking engagements, started a new company (NeXasure), and expanded the good work of The Georgetown Group. I even finished my second book, tentatively titled The Invisible Threat. In 2025, I’ll publish that book, launch a LinkedIn Learning course on spy hunting, speak to tens of thousands about cybersecurity, and continue practicing law under the Impresa Legal banner. I’ll keep chasing opportunity.

But every year, as the clock strikes midnight, I think back to green cars that kept me safe and that quiet moment in Old Town, standing under fireworks with Citrus. And I’m reminded that while every year brings something new, it’s the moments of stillness that keep us grounded and prepared to face whatever life throws at us.

As the calendar flips to 2025, I find myself thinking about that quiet New Year’s Eve surveillance in Old Town—the fireworks overhead, the buzz of anticipation, and the feeling that anything was possible. The start of a new year brings with it a chance to pause, reflect, and look ahead. It’s a moment to consider not just what’s next for us individually, but for the world around us. With that in mind, I’ve been reflecting on the trends, shifts, and challenges I see on the horizon, and I’m ready to share my five predictions for the new year. Let’s dive in.

Predictions for 2025

Prediction #1: AI Will Enter a Renaissance of Scalability, Use, and Operation

In 2025, AI will finally leave its training wheels behind. Generative AI isn’t just a toy for tech enthusiasts anymore—it’s about to become an essential tool across industries like healthcare, finance, education, and manufacturing. Think less “science experiment” and more “mission-critical.” AI won’t just crunch numbers or automate routine tasks; it will actively drive innovation, shape decision-making, and transform how businesses engage with customers.

Here’s a hard example: imagine a hospital using AI not just to manage patient scheduling but to analyze real-time data during surgeries. AI-assisted tools are already helping surgeons perform minimally invasive procedures with more precision. In 2025, that precision will go a step further. AI will analyze patient vitals in real time, predict complications before they occur, and even suggest adjustments to improve outcomes—all in the moment. That’s not sci-fi; it’s happening now and will only accelerate.

On the creative side, AI will go from “helper” to “collaborator.” Businesses will use generative AI to personalize customer experiences at unprecedented levels—whether it’s designing custom product recommendations or creating tailored marketing campaigns that feel less like ads and more like conversations. In the world of media, AI will be the unseen co-producer, churning out creative content in design, film, and even music.

We’ll also see a shift in how AI fits into the workplace. It won’t just replace tasks; it’ll enhance human capability. Tools will be designed to work alongside people, not against them. For instance, instead of automating customer service entirely, AI will handle the mundane queries, freeing up human agents to tackle complex issues that require empathy and nuance.

Finally, the rise of “explainable AI” will make these tools less of a black box and more of a trusted ally. Businesses will demand systems that can explain why they made a decision. That transparency will not only build trust but also help industries adopt AI faster, safer, and smarter.

In short, AI in 2025 won’t just evolve—it will mature into something that reshapes how we work, think, and create. This is no longer just a tech trend; it’s the start of a renaissance.

Prediction #2: Quantum Computing Will Achieve a Breakthrough Threshold

In 2025, quantum computing will cross a critical threshold, moving from theoretical promise to practical application in solving some of the world’s most complex problems. For years, we’ve talked about quantum in abstract terms—qubits, superposition, and entanglement—but this is the year we’ll see real-world results.

Here’s an example: breakthroughs in quantum computing will allow pharmaceutical companies to simulate molecular interactions at an unprecedented scale. This means faster drug discovery, potentially leading to cures for diseases that have baffled researchers for decades. Imagine cutting the time to develop a cancer treatment from years to months because a quantum computer modeled every possible interaction in a fraction of the time it would take a classical supercomputer.

In cybersecurity, quantum computing will raise the stakes. Encryption methods that have been our digital bedrock for decades could become vulnerable to quantum-powered attacks. At the same time, quantum encryption—using the principles of quantum mechanics to secure communications—will emerge as the new gold standard for protecting sensitive information. Think about it: we’re entering an era where the same technology that creates the threat also delivers the solution.

Businesses will also start harnessing quantum computing for optimization problems—like supply chain logistics or financial portfolio management—at a scale that was previously unimaginable. Picture an airline re-routing its entire global network in seconds to avoid disruptions or a bank running millions of risk scenarios in real time to protect investments.

2025 won’t be the year quantum computing replaces classical systems, but it will be the year it proves it belongs in the room. The threshold we’re crossing is one of trust and application—a point where quantum moves from being “promising” to being “essential.” Buckle up. The quantum future is here.

Prediction #3: A Large-Scale Attack on Critical Infrastructure Is Coming

The warning signs have been flashing for years: probing attacks from adversaries like China’s Volt Typhoon and Russia’s Sandworm, coupled with Iran’s persistent cyber aggression. In an increasingly volatile geopolitical climate, the battlefield isn’t just on land, air, or sea—it’s in the digital shadows. And one of the West’s greatest vulnerabilities is our critical infrastructure.

Let’s be clear: our power grid, water systems, and transportation networks are prime targets. These aren’t just conveniences—they’re the lifeblood of modern society. A single, coordinated cyberattack could cripple entire regions, sending cascading effects across the economy, public safety, and national morale. It’s not a question of if it happens—it’s when.

A hard example? In 2021, the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack was a wake-up call. A single cybercriminal group—DarkSide—shut down the largest fuel pipeline in the United States, disrupting gasoline supplies across the East Coast and causing widespread panic. That attack wasn’t even state-sponsored—it was profit-motivated. Now imagine what a well-funded, state-backed adversary could do with more sophisticated tools and geopolitical motives.

Or take the 2022 cyberattacks on Costa Rica, where ransomware crippled multiple government agencies, including the finance ministry, halting the collection of taxes and customs duties. The country declared a national emergency—the first ever caused by a cyberattack.

With geopolitical tensions escalating, the motivation is there. Cyberwarfare offers adversaries a way to inflict maximum damage with minimal risk of retaliation. Why invade when you can destabilize a nation from behind a keyboard?

It’s time to take the warnings seriously. Strengthening our cyber defenses isn’t just a tech issue—it’s a national security imperative. Doomsday preppers may sound paranoid, but when it comes to safeguarding critical infrastructure, they might just have the right idea.

Prediction #4: 2025 Will Be the Year of the Robot

The robots are coming—and this time, they’re not just novelties or sci-fi fantasies. In 2025, robotics will go mainstream across industries and households alike, revolutionizing the way we work, live, and even think about ourselves.

Socionic and anthropomorphic robots, like Ameca and Digit, will shift from being futuristic curiosities to essential tools. Imagine eldercare robots assisting with mobility and monitoring health, or humanoid robots stocking shelves and handling inventory in warehouses and retail stores. These aren’t just proof-of-concept machines anymore—they’re becoming the backbone of industries like healthcare and logistics.

At home, inexpensive robotic appliances will dominate. Think beyond the Roomba—robots will clean, cook, and secure your home, seamlessly integrating with smart systems to provide greater convenience, safety, and connectivity. These advancements won’t just replace conventional devices; they’ll redefine how we interact with our living spaces.

Of course, we’re bound to hit a few bumps along the way. Just ask the guy in Los Angeles who missed his flight because his Waymo kept circling the airport like it was auditioning for Fast & Furious: Autonomous Drift. As robotics and AI become more prevalent, moments like these will serve as a humorous reminder that our robot overlords are still figuring things out.

But with progress comes new challenges. As robots take on more tasks traditionally performed by humans, the lines will blur between human effort and automated assistance. Imagine debates over whether a meal prepared by a robotic chef counts as “homemade” or whether logistics employees are still “working” when their role is to oversee a fleet of autonomous delivery bots.

This confusion will spark profound discussions about the nature of work, the definition of self, and the meaning of human contribution in an increasingly automated world. Are we delegating drudgery to machines, or are we redefining what it means to create and produce?

In 2025, robots will not only transform industries and households—they’ll challenge us to rethink the essence of human effort and purpose in a world where the line between human and machine is thinner than ever. The year of the robot won’t just be about technology—it’ll be about humanity, too. And hopefully, it won’t involve missing flights.

Prediction #5: AI Won’t Become Self-Aware in 2025, But It Will Get Really Close

In 2025, we stand on the brink of a new era in artificial intelligence. While AI may not achieve full self-awareness this year, it will come tantalizingly close, forcing us to reconsider what it means to create intelligent "life."

OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has expressed confidence in reaching Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) by 2025, suggesting that machines capable of human-like reasoning are within our grasp.

This rapid advancement brings forth new challenges. AGI systems capable of solving multidisciplinary problems will require us to address concerns about safety, control, and ethical development. The emergence of superintelligent AI necessitates discussions on international regulations to ensure these systems align with societal values and ethical standards.

Technological drivers like advanced neural architectures and quantum computing are propelling this innovation. Quantum computing, in particular, offers the computational power needed to process complex algorithms that mimic human cognition, accelerating our journey toward AGI.

As AI systems approach human-like intelligence, we must confront profound questions about the nature of consciousness, the definition of life, and our responsibilities as creators. The year 2025 will not mark the dawn of self-aware machines, but it will bring us to the precipice, challenging us to navigate the ethical and philosophical implications of the intelligent entities we are bringing into existence.

Hello 2025!

As we step into 2025, these five predictions paint a world on the brink of transformation. AI will mature into an indispensable tool, quantum computing will revolutionize problem-solving, robots will reshape industries and homes, cyber threats will test our resilience, and near-AGI will push the boundaries of human and machine coexistence. At the heart of all these advancements lies a common thread: the pursuit of innovation balanced with the need for safety, control, and ethical foresight.

Much like the green cars that once gave me a sense of security in chaos, our journey into this rapidly evolving future must be guided by thoughtful safeguards. Whether we’re harnessing AI’s power, deploying robots, or defending against cyberattacks, we need systems and strategies that protect us while enabling progress. Just as my green vehicles symbolized safety in a high-stakes world, our ability to navigate these technological shifts with care and responsibility will ensure that we thrive, not just survive, in the years ahead. Here’s to wrapping up 2024 and driving forward into 2025—securely, ethically, and with purpose.

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