The Great AI Discontinuity: When Exponential Growth Becomes Visible

Organizations face a choice that goes beyond simply adopting AI. They must reconceptualize their entire approach to value creation in a world where technical capabilities and business strategy meet.

Credit: Luma.ai

The dramatic disruption curve we are experiencing with generative AI (“GenAI”) has me thinking about the legend of the chessboard and grains of rice.

We've all heard the story about the inventor of chess and the Chinese emperor. When asked by the emperor for his reward for creating the game, the inventor requested one grain of rice for the first square, and then double for each subsequent square. The emperor agreed, thinking that each step only added incrementally to the number of grains.

By square 64, the amount would have exceeded all rice ever produced.

Like those grains of rice, we're now living through a similar exponential curve with AI. We've just hit the squares where the numbers become astronomical.

Twenty-eight months after ChatGPT's release, we're witnessing something far more profound than disruption. Disruption follows predictable patterns: new entrants target overlooked segments, gradually moving upmarket until they overthrow incumbents.

What we're seeing wit…