Is AI Truly Disruptive?

The AI acceleration is unprecedented and, undeniably, the increased capability of AI systems poses a threat to the traditional world order. For a time, incumbent technology providers seemed to have no ready response: 30 months after the release of GPT 3, Google still didn’t have a commercially available AI system, and in its 2023 developer conference Apple did not mention AI once. Now, after sitting on the sidelines, large technology enterprises have begun to respond. 

Their responses sound a familiar refrain when incumbents face competition from potentially disruptive technologies. 

Will mega-tech’s delay in responding to the AI threat prove optimum as a strategy? Now that startups have demonstrated proof-of-concept, will large tech enterprises simply co-opt artificial intelligence to strengthen their formidable global franchises? In other words, will AI be disruptive at all?

With a focus on AI innovation today, this paper not only shares ARK’s framework for identifying disruptive technologies, but also explores how incumbent technology providers are likely to harness AI to sustain their existing industry dominance, and why that strategic stance might falter.