Artificial intelligence as the new user interface, advanced defenses against disinformation, and space-based Earth intelligence are among the 12 breakthrough technologies Gartner says will transform business systems in the coming years.

In a report released Monday, the global research firm emphasized that these innovations will offer companies a competitive edge in the near term—and likely become standard across industries in the long run. Technology leaders should start investing now to secure first-mover advantages, Gartner advised.

“Technologies like generative-AI-powered architectures, disinformation security, and Earth intelligence will be the differentiators that set leading enterprises apart,” said Bill Ray, Gartner Vice President Analyst.

AI Becomes the New User Interface

Gartner forecasts a major shift in how people interact with enterprise applications. Instead of traditional form-based interfaces, generative AI solutions will allow users to engage through natural language and multimedia inputs. This change is expected to enable new, intuitive user experiences.

“The AI itself becomes the interface,” explained Rob Enderle, president of the Enderle Group. “You won’t need a separate UI to communicate with a computer—just talk to it.”

Sandi Besen, applied AI researcher at IBM and Neudesic, noted that with language models, systems can already converse in text, voice, or visuals. While some functions like input validation still benefit from a classic UI, a more adaptive “dynamic UI” is emerging, one that responds to the specific information users need to provide.

Gartner predicts that by 2029, more than half of enterprise user interactions will bypass traditional UIs in favor of large language models—up from less than 5% today.

Battling the Rise of Disinformation

By 2030, Gartner expects over 50% of companies to have adopted tools to protect against digital disinformation—compared to less than 5% in 2024.

Disinformation security is a growing field that targets threats originating outside traditional networks. It includes tech for deepfake detection, impersonation prevention, and reputation protection—tools crucial for maintaining trust and brand integrity.

“Attackers are leveraging AI to mimic executives and manipulate communications,” said Patrick Tiquet, VP of Security and Architecture at Keeper Security. “It’s not enough to secure systems; we must also ensure people’s digital interactions are trusted.”

Black Duck Software CIO Ishpreet Singh added that the speed and scale of disinformation campaigns—powered by generative AI and bots—can quickly distort public perception and damage brand credibility.

Gartner recommends integrating AI and machine learning into systems for content verification and tracking data origins, helping businesses detect and respond to manipulated content in real time.

Earth Intelligence: Insights from Above

By 2028, 80% of Earth’s key surface assets will be actively monitored by satellites, according to Gartner. Earth intelligence—powered by AI analysis of satellite, aerial, and ground data—provides actionable insights for everything from resource management to supply chain optimization.

“This isn’t just maps—it’s real numbers,” said Ray. “We’re talking about insights like global nickel production, theme park attendance, and crop health.”

This data can also enhance weather forecasting, which is vital for mitigating risks to logistics, infrastructure, and even employee safety.

While defense was an early adopter, the tech is quickly spreading to all sectors as data quality and analysis capabilities improve. “Every business can benefit from Earth intelligence,” Ray said. “It opens the door to enhancing systems or launching entirely new capabilities.”

The Disruptive Dozen

Gartner groups its 12 disruptive technologies into four categories: Applications, Infrastructure, Data, and Security.

Applications:

Intelligent Simulation
AI-Composed Applications
Polyfunctional Robots – Robots capable of handling multiple tasks traditionally done by humans, though they’ll require significant planning and workforce transition.

Infrastructure:

Algorithm-Aligned Silicon
Low Power/High Compute Technologies
Sensor Fusion

Data:

Earth Intelligence
Hypersynthetic Data – Used to rapidly train AI models, though its reliability can be questionable.
Domain Language Models

Security: