The real changes are just beginning. Prepare now for the shockwaves that will reshape your industry.
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AI shockwaves are coming; prepare your enterprise now
While most organizations are still focused on using AI to boost productivity, the real game changer is what happens next. AI shockwaves — defined as the second- and third-order impacts of AI innovations — will rewrite industry rules, rendering core offerings obsolete and creating entirely new business ecosystems.
Executives who look beyond the productivity plateau will seize the biggest opportunities. Use these Gartner insights to anticipate and capitalize on the seismic shifts — not just react to them.
The aftermath of the AI-for-productivity era is what actually matters
Parts of AI are heading fast into the Gartner Hype Cycle’s Trough of Disillusionment, but don’t mistake the trough for a decline. Rather, it’s a sign that adoption is maturing and expectations are stabilizing.
Productivity gains are just the start
AI’s immediate impact is clear: automating tasks, accelerating workflows and boosting productivity. Yet, according to the 2024 Gartner AI Survey, nearly 90% of technology leaders remain focused on employee- or process-level GenAI initiatives –– an approach that yields only incremental gains. The real disruption will come when AI forces entire industries to rethink value, pricing and even the relevance of their core offerings, especially with the application of agentic systems.
AI shockwaves will redefine industries
The most significant AI-driven changes — the shockwaves — occur when the first wave of productivity gains gives way to deeper, systemic shifts. Think: products becoming obsolete, newly enabled and fast-acting copycats taking hold, fresh business models emerging and roles across the value chain being transformed. These shockwaves often originate at the edges, where startups and agile enterprises experiment boldly, then ripple through legacy organizations and entire sectors.
Most leaders aren’t ready — but you can be
Gartner research reveals that less than 30% of technology leaders are pursuing enterprise-level GenAI initiatives capable of industrywide disruption.
To get ahead, embed AI at the core of workflows, establish AI-first business models and incubate ventures that explore radical, experimental applications. Strategic partnerships with startups and open ecosystems will be critical to sensing and shaping the next big AI shockwave.
Five actions to harness AI shockwaves
To move beyond incremental gains and proactively shape the future, Gartner recommends that C-suite leaders:
Embed AI into the core of your workflows. Integrate AI deeply, not just at the surface, to accelerate innovation and set the pace of change.
Establish an AI-first business model. Reimagine products and services to be AI-driven — especially agentic AI-driven — with AI embedded into everyday user experiences.
Incubate bold, experimental AI ventures. Launch spinoff business units or startups to explore disruptive AI applications outside your core business.
Forge strategic AI partnerships. Collaborate with startups, vendors, research labs and universities for early access to breakthroughs and real-time insights.
Dive into open ecosystems. Join or create open-source AI communities and industry consortia to accelerate progress and rapidly scale investments and lessons learned.
AI shockwaves FAQs
What are AI shockwaves, and why do they matter for business leaders?
AI shockwaves are the secondary and tertiary impacts of AI innovations that go beyond immediate productivity gains. They can make core offerings free or obsolete, rewrite industry rules and create new business ecosystems. For business leaders, understanding and preparing for these disruptions is critical. The real momentum of AI shockwaves builds at the edges of industries, often driven by startups and experimental ventures, and can fundamentally transform roles, value chains and competitive dynamics.
How can organizations prepare for the disruptive impacts of AI beyond productivity?
Gartner recommends moving past incremental productivity improvements by embedding AI deeply into workflows, establishing AI-first business models, incubating bold experimental ventures, forging strategic partnerships with AI-focused entities and participating in open-source AI communities. These steps help enterprises innovate rapidly, sense shifting conditions and sustain operations amid disruption, positioning them to capture long-term value as AI reshapes industries.
Why is GenAI sliding into the Trough of Disillusionment, and what does this mean for executives?
Generative AI is headed toward the Gartner Hype Cycle’s Trough of Disillusionment because the initial hype around immediate business value has slowed due to challenges such as poor data readiness, fragmented pilots and limited executive engagement. However, this phase signals actual progress as expectations stabilize and enterprise AI maturity grows. Use this opportunity to recalibrate strategies, focus on long-term disruption and prepare for the next wave of AI-driven shockwaves.
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