Gartner ThinkCast

As generative AI moves from novelty to necessity, its most profound impact isn't in incremental efficiency — it's in the shockwaves that ripple across industries. These disruptions challenge pricing models, rewrite competitive dynamics and even blur the boundaries between entire sectors. So how do you prepare to create — or counter — these seismic shifts?

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst Hung LeHong explores the concept of AI shockwaves: what they are, why they matter more than productivity gains, and how organizations can anticipate and harness them.

Tune in to discover:

• Why first-order AI effects aren't enough to drive true disruption
• How shockwaves emerge and the three levels of impact to watch
• What it takes to move from cost savings to market-changing innovation
• Why only 1 in 50 organizations succeed in creating disruption

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As AI capabilities surge ahead, human readiness is struggling to keep pace — and that imbalance could derail your path to real value. So how can CIOs and IT leaders navigate this gap and avoid costly missteps?

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, you'll hear the first 20 minutes of the Opening Keynote from Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo 2025, straight from the stage in Orlando. Gartner experts Alicia Mullery and Daryl Plummer reveal why the odds of achieving AI ROI remain stubbornly low, and what leaders must do to walk the "golden path" toward sustainable outcomes.

Tune in to discover:

• Why human readiness is the biggest obstacle to AI success
• How to plan for the hidden "transition mortgage" behind AI costs
• Why conversational agents aren't enough
• How to handle vendor selection in the era of digital nation states
• Why a value remix strategy can unlock growth without workforce chaos

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Leadership won't get any easier in 2026. Geopolitical volatility, accelerating AI disruption and workforce identity shifts are creating unprecedented challenges for IT leaders. So how can you prepare?

In this mini episode of ThinkCast, recorded at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo in Orlando, Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst Mary Mesaglio sums up the insights from her dozens of onsite conversations with CIOs and top IT leaders. In just four minutes, she breaks down the four challenges shaping IT leadership into 2026, and offers practical strategies to navigate uncertainty with confidence.

Tune in to discover:

• The 4 challenges redefining IT leadership in 2026
• Why optionality matters for decision-making in volatile times
• How AI vendor races complicate long-term technology bets
• Why identity threats demand a new leadership approach

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As economic volatility, cost pressure and technological acceleration reshape the finance landscape, CFOs are facing a pivotal identity shift. The instinct to protect the enterprise through tighter controls may no longer serve the moment. So what does it take to lead with resilience and unlock growth?

In this episode of ThinkCast, Gartner experts Clement Christensen and Mallory Bulman revisit their Opening Keynote from the Gartner Finance Symposium/Xpo. They introduce the "Catalyst CFO" — a new leadership identity designed for disruption — and explore the eight forces reshaping finance, from AI-enabled decision-making to discontinuous regulatory change.

Tune in to discover:

• Why the "guardian" CFO mindset may be holding your organization back
• The eight forces transforming finance and how to respond
• How AI agents are changing the nature of financial decision-making
• Why identity is the most underutilized leadership tool
• What Catalyst CFOs do differently to drive agility, innovation, and growth

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As AI capabilities accelerate faster than many organizations can adapt, CIOs are being challenged to balance ambition with readiness. So how can leaders walk the "golden path" to real, sustainable value?

In this episode of ThinkCast, Gartner experts Alicia Mullery and Daryl Plummer break down their Opening Keynote from Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo, and explore how to align both AI readiness and human readiness to capture meaningful outcomes. They discuss why many AI initiatives struggle to achieve ROI, how to measure "good enough" accuracy, and what it means to scale AI maturity without leaving your workforce behind.

Tune in to discover:

• Why only 1 in 5 AI initiatives see real return — and how to change the odds
• How to use the Gartner Positioning System to evaluate readiness
• The difference between conversational agents and autonomous decision-making agents
• Why a value remix may be more effective than workforce reduction
• How aligning tech readiness and human capability unlocks "shockwave" innovation

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