Gartner ThinkCast

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Walking the Golden Path to Value: Aligning AI Readiness and Human Readiness Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

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

Dig deeper:

Download the Opening Keynote takeaways on AI readiness
Join us at a Gartner CIO Conference near you
Become a client to try out AskGartner for more trusted insights

From Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo: What's Ahead for CIOs in 2026 and Beyond Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

As 2026 approaches, AI innovation is accelerating faster than human readiness — so how can CIOs and IT leaders stay ahead?

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, recorded on site at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo in Orlando, Florida, Gartner experts Chris Howard and Gene Alvarez share key takeaways from three cornerstone sessions: the Opening Keynote, Top Strategic Technology Trends, and the CIO Agenda. They explore how CIOs can walk the "golden path" to value, balance AI ambition with operational readiness and prepare their teams for a future defined by agility, risk management and tenacity.

Tune in to discover:

Why heroes are made in the Trough of Disillusionment
How CIOs can align human and AI readiness
The rise of multiagent systems and domain-specific language models
What the Architect, Synthesist and Vanguard roles mean for 2026 strategy
Why success depends less on budget and more on resilience, adaptability and trust

Dig deeper:

Download the Opening Keynote takeaways on AI readiness
Explore Gartner's Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2026
Join us at a Gartner CIO Conference near you
Become a client to try out AskGartner for more trusted insights

Your IT Symposium/Xpo Primer: Top AI Insights From the Past Year Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of ThinkCast, we're setting the stage for Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo 2025. You'll hear Gartner experts Mary Mesaglio, Hung LeHong, Gene Alvarez and Daryl Plummer revisit the past year's most impactful IT insights to help you prepare for what's next — from navigating two AI races and unlocking deep productivity to understanding agentic AI and the rise of guardian agents.

Keep listening for practical guidance on setting your AI pace, managing costs and spotting the disruptions that will define IT strategy in 2026 and beyond.

Tune in to discover:

Why two AI races matter — and which one you're really in
How to find "deep productivity zones" for GenAI success
Why neophilia and change champions accelerate adoption
What agentic AI means for automation beyond RPA
How guardian agents will transform security and oversight

Dig deeper:

Buy tickets to Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo
Become a client to try out AskGartner for more trusted insights

The GenAI Productivity Trap: Why Faster Isn't Always Better Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of ThinkCast, we continue last week's discussion around AI value with a question many enterprise leaders still face: Why has increased productivity from GenAI initiatives not led to more value from AI overall?

Gartner Senior Director Analyst Nate Suda will walk through how productivity does not automatically equal value, and the often-misunderstood link between the two. From productivity leakage and task-level blindspots to bottlenecks, prioritization strategies and use case misfires, Suda delivers a clear framework for where to focus — and who to focus on — to get the most out of GenAI.

Tune in to discover:

Why productivity does not equal value
What productivity leakage looks like and how to stop it
How to match GenAI use cases to employee experience
Four ways to define productivity beyond just speed or time saved

This episode originally aired July 15, 2025.

Dig Deeper:

Buy tickets to Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo
Register to watch Beyond Productivity: How CIOs Can Cut Costs with Generative AI
Read For AI Value, Focus on Your Use Cases

Turn AI Promises Into Measurable Business Outcomes Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Executives are asking the same question in 2025: Where is the value AI was supposed to deliver?

In this episode of ThinkCast, Gartner experts Mary Mesaglio and Rita Sallam outline how leaders can define, measure and maximize AI value across the enterprise. From productivity gains that don't translate directly to financial returns, to high-stakes bets that could rewrite industry rules, they explain why leaders must manage AI investments as a balanced portfolio — spanning return on investment, return on employee and return on the future.

Tune in to discover:

Why productivity leakage hampers measurable value
How to structure AI investments across ROI, ROE and ROF
The differences between Defend, Extend and Upend use cases
Why AI-ready data, governance and business change are critical

Dig deeper:

Buy tickets to Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo
Watch the full webinar on AI value
Become a client to try out AskGartner for more trusted insights

AI, Strategy & Marketing Growth: What Every CMO Must Do Now Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

CMOs are facing extraordinary expectations — from the enterprise, customers and their own teams.

In this episode of ThinkCast, Gartner experts Alex De Fursac Gash and Kristina LaRocca-Cerrone cover a portion of their Opening Keynote from this year's Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo. Together, they outline how marketing leaders can navigate heightened demands, avoid strategic dysfunction and embrace what they call the "Epic Journey to Growth." From shifting AI from tool to actor, to building long-term vision and scenario planning muscle, Alex and Kristina reveal how CMOs can strengthen reputations, exceed CEO expectations and transform disruption into opportunity.

Tune in to discover:

Why doing nothing in times of disruption is no longer an option
How strategic dysfunction undermines growth and what to do about it
Practical ways to use scenario planning and AI to build resilience
The mindset shifts that turn volatitiliy into enterprise-wide opportunity

Dig deeper:

Buy tickets to Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo
Get started with AskGartner, your new AI-powered tool

Next Year or Next Decade? Inside the Far Future of Computing Sep 16, 2025

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In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we explore the future of computing — from what to expect in the next decade, to the possibilities beyond.

Gartner Global Chief of Research Chris Howard is joined by Soyeb Barot, Chief of Research for Gartner for Technical Professionals and VP Analyst, to discuss what this future could look like. Hear how AI is rapidly driving the near-term innovation of quantum computing, the far future of autonomous businesses and space manufacturing, and why executive leaders should push to play an active role in shaping these possibilities.

Dig Deeper:

Buy tickets to Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo

Read to learn What is Quantum Computing?

How to Rewrite the Sales Playbook With Agentic AI Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

With traditional sales growth bets losing steam, today's sales leaders face an urgent challenge: how to hit their numbers and lead their teams through AI-driven reinvention.

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast — recorded live from the 2025 Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference Opening Keynote in Las Vegas — Gartner VP Analyst Dan Gottlieb introduces the "Great Sales Awakening," a new era in sales transformation. From navigating quota pressures and cross-functional expectations to deploying agentic AI, Dan outlines the bold leadership shifts required to succeed in a world reshaped by digital labor.

Tune in to discover:

Why traditional playbooks are no longer enough in today's environment
The difference between time-saving AI and revenue-driving AI
How agentic AI is reshaping account planning and sales execution
What kind of leader you need to be to thrive in the era of AI-powered sales

Dig deeper:

Buy tickets to the next Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference
Watch the Opening Keynote and other live Gartner sessions on YouTube
Become a client to try out AskGartner for more trusted insights

Gartner's Must-Listen Guide for New Leaders Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

With 39% of new executives underperforming in their new role, succeeding as a new leader requires more than ambition — it takes the right tools, insights and political savvy.

Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst Mary Mesaglio joins first to introduce Gartner Executive FastStart™ — a curated set of tools, roadmaps and resources to help new executives overcome the triple constraint of time, information and relationships. Then Gartner Fellow Tina Nunno walks through her framework of four leadership styles to help new leaders navigate the political realities of any organization.

Tune in to discover:

Why new executives struggle and how the triple constraint holds them back
How Executive FastStart helps leaders achieve early wins and build trust
The four political leadership styles and how to identify your own
How to quickly adapt to the political dynamics of your executive team

Dig deeper:

Download your own personalized copy of Gartner Executive FastStart
Watch the full Executives in a New Role playlist on YouTube

AI Agents Were Just the Beginning — Guardian Agents Are What's Next Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

With agentic AI quickly becoming widespread, we dive into the next evolution of AI agents — guardian agents.

As part of our Top of Mind series of insights, Distinguished VP Analyst Daryl Plummer joins to lead us through how guardian agents are emerging as a critical tool for organizations deploying AI agents. As AI agents become more common, guardian agents will monitor, oversee and even protect against rogue AI behavior to ensure quality and security.

Tune in to discover:

What guardian agents are and how they differ from today's AI agents
The phases of guardian agent evolution: quality, observation and protection
Why guardian agents will be essential for AI governance and trust
How protecting AI with AI could redefine safety and innovation for enterprises

Dig deeper:

Buy tickets to Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™ to hear more
Explore how to Capitalize on the AI Agent Opportunity
Gartner clients, learn to enable the delivery and ensure robustness of these new capabilities: Emerging Patterns for Building LLM-Based AI Agents

This episode originally aired March 11, 2025

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