A disruptive technology is an innovation that significantly changes or replaces existing technologies, products, or ways of doing things. It often starts by serving a niche market or solving problems in a new, simpler, or cheaper way—and over time, it reshapes entire industries by displacing established leaders and products.
The term was popularized by Clayton Christensen in his book The Innovator’s Dilemma.
Key Features of Disruptive Technology:
- Starts small: Often overlooked at first because it seems less powerful or useful than existing solutions.
- Accessible and affordable: Makes technology more available to broader groups of people.
- Rapid improvement: Evolves quickly, eventually meeting or exceeding mainstream needs.
- Industry-shifting: Can render old business models or technologies obsolete.
Examples:
- Smartphones disrupted cameras, MP3 players, GPS devices, and even personal computers in many tasks.
- Streaming services (like Netflix, Spotify) disrupted DVD rentals and music sales.
- Electric cars and ride-sharing apps are disrupting the auto and transportation industries.
- Artificial intelligence is now disrupting fields from customer service to content creation.
👉 In short, disruptive technologies don’t just improve existing systems—they change the rules of the game.