Gartner: 40% of Generative AI to Be Multimodal by 2027

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Gartner, Inc. projects that by 2027, 40% of Generative AI (GenAI) solutions will be multimodal, incorporating text, image, audio, and video, a significant increase from just 1% in 2023. This evolution in GenAI technology is expected to enhance human-AI interaction and provide businesses with a competitive edge by differentiating their AI-enabled offerings.

Erick Brethenoux, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, stated that as the GenAI market shifts towards models trained on multiple modalities, businesses can capture deeper relationships between various data types, expanding AI’s utility across all applications. This advancement will allow AI to assist in a broader range of tasks, improving outcomes in different industries and environments.

Gartner’s 2024 Hype Cycle for Generative AI highlights multimodal GenAI and open-source large language models (LLMs) as two transformative technologies. These innovations have the potential to deliver substantial competitive advantages, offering faster time-to-market and more advanced features that will drive enterprise value over the next five years.

Arun Chandrasekaran, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, pointed out that navigating the fast-evolving GenAI ecosystem can be overwhelming for enterprises. He noted that while GenAI is currently in the “Trough of Disillusionment,” industry consolidation is beginning, and real benefits will emerge as the technology matures. Chandrasekaran also emphasized that open-source LLMs will play a crucial role by democratizing AI access, enabling developers to optimize models for specific tasks and reducing vendor lock-in.

Among the key innovations that Gartner expects to reach mainstream adoption within the next 10 years, domain-specific GenAI models and autonomous agents are identified as having the highest potential. Domain-specific models, tailored to specific industries and business functions, will offer improved accuracy, security, and performance, while reducing the need for complex prompt engineering. Autonomous agents, capable of operating without human intervention, will transform business processes and customer experiences, leading to cost savings and enhanced efficiency.

Gartner’s latest report, “Hype Cycle for Generative AI, 2024,” offers in-depth insights into these trends, and the complimentary Gartner webinar, “What Mature Organizations Do Differently for AI Success,” explores how organizations can best leverage these advancements.