Gartner ThinkCast

As CIOs enter 2026, the pressure is on: Budgets are flat, headcount is tight, and yet expectations for growth, innovation, and AI adoption are soaring. How can technology leaders deliver impact when resources are constrained and the pace of change is relentless? In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, Gartner expert Chris Howard walks through the latest CIO Agenda survey results for 2026, as debuted...

As we close out the year, we're bringing you some of 2025's standout ThinkCast episodes. Today's episode, originally released in April, explores how leaders can scale AI using Gartner's "AI tech sandwich": In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we tackle one of the most pressing questions facing executive leaders today: How should organizations approach AI deployment? Gartner Distinguished VP Analy...

As we close out the year, we're bringing you some of 2025's standout ThinkCast episodes. Today's episode, originally released in May, dives into the rapid emergence of machine customers and how AI agents are transforming customer experience looks:   In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we explore what customer experience looks like today — a world where your most valuable customers might not even...

AI is transforming faster than leaders can rewrite their strategies, and staying ahead requires a new kind of clarity. So how do you move beyond experimentation and hype to build AI that truly delivers business value? In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, Gartner Director Analyst Deepak Seth joins to explore what's next in AI implementation, including what comes after AI agents. He'll break down w...

As disruption accelerates and AI becomes indispensable, CIOs and technology leaders face a critical question: How do you harness innovation without losing control? In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, Gartner experts Gene Alvarez and Tori Paulman walk through the Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2026, as debuted at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo. They explore why the pace of change is faster than ev...

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, Gart...

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 M...

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 CI...

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...

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...

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....

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 listenin...

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 prod...

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 expla...

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...

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 quantu...

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...

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...

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 a...

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we dive into how data and analytics leaders can navigate the mounting pressure to deliver AI results, while building the trust, governance and business value needed for long-term success. Fresh from the Opening Keynote at Gartner Data & Analytics Summit, Gartner experts Gareth Herschel and Carlie Idoine share why this is the best time to be in data and analyti...

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we revisit the Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2025 — particularly those focused on AI — and explore the impact they've had so far. Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst Gene Alvarez returns to unpack how this year's most critical tech trends are playing out across enterprises with ever-increasing speed, including agentic AI, disinformation security and AI gove...

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we explore how HR leaders can meet the moment in 2025, where AI acceleration, evolving employee expectations and cultural fragmentation are redefining work. Pulled from the Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo™ Opening Keynote, Gartner experts Jessie Knight and Russ McCall uncover the critical role HR must play in addressing widening performance gaps — and how guided coll...

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we explore the challenges and opportunities around creating value with AI — especially as generative AI enters the Trough of Disillusionment. As part of our Top of Mind video series, Gartner Global Chief of Research Chris Howard is joined by Distinguished VP Analyst Rita Sallam to discuss how leaders should align investments with business priorities, manage pr...

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we return to the AI races with a mid-year reminder on how to keep setting your own pace. Where does your organization stand halfway through the year? And what do you need to keep pursuing? Just as we started the year laying out the AI races, we'll once again hear from Gartner Distinguished VP Analysts Mary Mesaglio and Hung LeHong from their Gartner IT Symposi...

In this episode of Gartner ThinkCast, we discuss the key trends shaping the future of work in 2025 and beyond. Gartner Senior Director Analyst Emily Rose McRae joins host Alexis Wierenga to examine how organizations are rethinking talent strategies, integrating AI into daily workflows and redefining the employee experience. Tune in to discover: Why AI investments may be falling short — and how to...