After Effects 25.1 is the current version, with no big recent announcements. The December 2024 (25.1) release includes important fixes, and Adobe listed remaining Known issues in After Effects.

New features include:

• Accepts Lights switch for 3D layers
• 3D model preview thumbnail
• Cinema 4D 2025 upgrade in After Effects

After Effects 25.2xxxx is in Beta and does include important new features:

• Advanced 3D Light & Shadow Controls
• Better Caching for Better Playback
• HDR Preview
• FBX model import
• Customizable Transparency Grids
• Panel Background Colour Options
• Quick Set Anchor Point
• Null Controls for Positional Points

Adobe previewed the new features at Sundance. See the quick overview What’s New in Premiere Pro & After Effects (Beta) | 2025 Updates from Adobe Video & Motion. Adobe added another, Null Controls for Positional Points | After Effects (Beta) | Adobe Video.

SternFX had a deeper dive on RAM preview improvements in After Effects Playback Just Got an Epic Upgrade! Eran says  goodbye to RAM limitations, but there’s got to be some wrinkles!

See also The Future of After Effects: January 2025 Beta Features from Jake In Motion and After Effects 2025: Game-Changing Beta Features You Need to See by Justin Serran.

Jake In Motion also posted My TOP After Effects updates for 2025, which is  actually a 2024 feature recap.

Justin Serran has something similar in Exploring After Effects 2025’s AMAZING New 3D Workflow! He looks at 3D integration and seamless importing of GLB/GLTF files, realistic shadows, advanced rendering, and real-time previews. This step-by-step tutorial covers tracking 3D models into footage to achieving realistic lighting with HDRIs.

Boone Loves Video runs down 25 After Effects PLUGINS to Use in 2025. Well, 25 plugins, extensions, and scripts that could supercharge your AE experience.

SternFX looks at some time-saving scripts and animation helpers to creative effects and fun tools, to “supercharge” your workflow in FREE Ae Resources You’re Overlooking (Stop Missing Out!). Eran pushes on further with After Effects Annoyances (And How to Fix Them!), exploring why panels reopening themselves, to sluggish performance and mysterious black frames, presenting fixes to tame these annoying quirks.

After Effects Basics presents 4 FAST & EASY VFX Every Editor Needs! Savage!

Adobe presented Beyond the Basics: Motion Tracking in After Effects | Adobe Video x @filmriot. Ryan of Film Riot walks us through intermediate techniques for motion tracking. Using a board and overlay as an example, he demonstrates how to deploy the Mocha AE plug-in (built into After Effects) to planar track and mask footage.

Manuel does Motion introduces how to Animate Transitions like a Pro in After Effects!

In How to Animate Color | Gradient Backgrounds in After Effects, Stephan Zammit posted a step-by-step guide to teach us a precise method for mastering gradient animation, with full control over colors and motion.

In Modern Motion Design – After Effects Tutorial, LUFTFORMAT automates using the CC Cylinder Effect in After Effects to create some minimalistic animations for a museum.

School of Motion buries the lead a bit in Real-Time Photoshop Collab!? | Motion Mondays. I don’t care that much about Photoshop but check out the other interesting news; links at their show notes.

Lines To Designs posted Transform Videos with After Effects Roto Brush & AI Tools, leveraging Runway’s Gen-3 AI and the new “Static Video” feature.

The prolific SternFX considered Can AI replace After Effects? with tips on upscaling, compositing, and adding the finishing touches.

Casey Faris tries to pump up Blackmagic Design Fusion for mograph in Sick of After Effects? Switch to Fusion in 2025 for VFX and Motion Graphics!

Curious Refuge discussed US Gov Rules on AI Filmmaking — which are unlikely to hold in this climate. For something not completely different, see AI is changing war. Just not with killer robots from Johnny Harris.

Here on PVC, Jeff Foster posted a nice big update on AI integration in existing workflows with AI Tools: Video & Animation Advances for 2025.

Skipping over Theoretically Media and Matt Wolfe this roundup, Curious Refuge has a recent update in 10 Major AI Video Updates You NEED to Know! And Joey /// VP Land has a more general overview in 10 Filmmaking Tools & Trends for 2025 (It’s not all AI).