AI shockwaves are coming and businesses should be preparing now. This is according to researchers at Gartner, who say that while most organisations are still focused on using AI to boost productivity, the real game changer is what happens next.
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, Gartner recommends that 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.
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 Gen AI 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.
Gartner suggests that 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 organisations and entire sectors.
Gartner research reveals that less than 30% of technology leaders are pursuing enterprise-level Gen AI initiatives capable of industrywide disruption. To get ahead, the company suggests that businesses should embed AI at the core of workflows, establish AI-first business models and incubate ventures that explore radical, experimental applications. And, finally Gartner recommends that strategic partnerships with startups and open ecosystems will be critical to sensing and shaping the next big AI shockwave.
The researchers say that Generative AI is headed toward the Gartner Hype Cycle’s, s o called, “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 stabilise and enterprise AI maturity grows.
