AI Is Already Undermining Expertise-Driven Businesses: Lessons from Gartner’s Stock Plunge

A recent cliff dive in Gartner’s stock price – a nearly 28% single-day plunge, its worst drop since 1999 – has jolted the business world. This wipeout capped a loss of about half of Gartner’s market value since the start of 2025. Why? Because Gartner’s sudden nosedive is more than a one-off market reaction – it’s a warning for any company whose business model depends on monetizing human expertise.

The uncomfortable truth is that AI is already eating into such companies’ revenue, often invisibly. Clients and consumers are increasingly self-serving with AI chatbots to get insights instead of paying for traditional expert advice.