An analytical approach that examines interconnections, feedback loops, delays, and emergent behavior within complex systems rather than analyzing components in isolation. Pioneered by Jay Forrester and popularized by Peter Senge, systems thinking reveals how interventions in one part of a system can produce unexpected consequences elsewhere.
In strategic decision-making, systems thinking prevents the common failure of optimizing one metric while inadvertently degrading another. AI experts employing this framework map causal relationships and identify leverage points where small changes can produce outsized positive effects.