English | EN 
Every decade or so, business gets swept up in a new “must-have” trend. I remember when the internet was supposed to make every company unstoppable. Then came social media, cloud, blockchain, and countless others. Some truly reshaped industries. Others? They were more buzz than business.
Now, we’re in the AI era. You can’t open LinkedIn, read an article, or join a meeting without hearing the word. For some companies, AI will absolutely be a game-changer. For others, it may become just another shiny object they chase—only to realize too late that they’ve repeated history’s mistakes.
The trap of following trends blindly
Looking back, we’ve seen what happens when businesses run after a trend without asking the hard questions:
- Dot-com bubble: Many believed a “.com” in their name guaranteed success. We all know how that ended, with thousands of startups vanishing almost overnight (Investopedia).
- Blockchain rush: Countless firms invested in pilots they never scaled, leaving investors skeptical about real-world use.
- “AI winters” of the past: Over-promises in the 1980s and 1990s led to an AI winter, a period where funding dried up after enthusiasm collapsed.
The common thread? Excitement overtook execution. Companies jumped in without clarity on how the trend connected to their actual business.
Why AI is different—But not for everyone
AI is more than a passing wave. Unlike some past fads, it’s already delivering breakthroughs: automating processes, enhancing customer experience, and reshaping industries from healthcare to finance.
But here’s the catch: AI isn’t one-size-fits-all.
- For some, it will redefine their value proposition.
- For others, it will remain a costly experiment that never leaves the pilot phase.
A recent MIT study found that 95% of AI projects inside companies don’t show measurable returns. That’s a huge signal: AI is powerful, but without strategy and structure, it quickly turns into wasted investment.
What companies can learn from the past
If we don’t want to fall into the same traps as the dot-com or blockchain hype cycles, a few principles stand out.
- Don’t chase AI for the sake of it. Start with your business problem, not the tool.
- Build the foundation first. Companies that succeed redesign workflows, train people, and establish governance before layering AI on top.
- Stay disciplined with value. Hype doesn’t pay the bills—ROI does.
- Be selective. Not every part of your business needs AI today. Focus where it actually moves the needle.
So, is AI “the” trend?
For some companies, AI will be the engine of reinvention. For others, it will be another forgotten initiative, filed away with blockchain pilots and abandoned apps.
The difference won’t be in the technology—it will be in how leaders approach it. Those who see AI as part of a bigger reinvention story will thrive. Those who see it as a checkbox trend will stumble.
Final thought
Market trends come and go. What endures is a company’s ability to stay curious, adapt with discipline, and align innovation with real business value.
AI may well define this era, but whether it defines your company’s success depends on how thoughtfully you approach it.