Adopt, Co-opt, Normalize: How Analyst Firms Can Quietly Defuse the Perception of AI Disruption
How Gartner defused the review site disruption – and what it means for AI
June 30, 2025 · AI, AR, & the Analysts #15
AR Intelligence Snapshot:
Generative AI isn’t the first “existential threat” analyst firms have faced – and it won’t be the last.
A decade ago, the rise of crowd sourced, enterprise technology review sites like G2 Crowd, IT Central Station, and TrustRadius (Note 1) promised to upend the influence of traditional analysts. Why bother paying for research when you could get peer feedback for free?
Dig Deeper:
What tactics did Gartner use to turn “Yelp for IT” from a threat into a supporting asset?
Why loudly branding AI tools (like Forrester’s Izola) could backfire – and what Gartner is doing instead?
What are the implications for analyst relations professionals of Gartner’s approach to defusing AI disruption and how should they take action?
What does Gartner’s approach mean for other analyst firms preparing for the next disruption?