A group of young entrepreneurs, led by Ryan, had just launched their tech startup. The team was ambitious and eager to make an impact in the industry. One day, a competitor introduced an AI-powered chatbot, and the buzz around it was undeniable.

“We need our own AI chatbot,” one of the team members suggested in a meeting. “Everyone in the industry is doing it.”

The idea quickly gained momentum. No one wanted to be the person who disagreed—after all, what if questioning the idea made them seem less forward-thinking? Emma, the team’s lead developer, had doubts. “Are we sure this aligns with our product’s core goals?” she asked. “We don’t have the expertise, and it could delay our main roadmap.”

But the excitement in the room was overwhelming. “AI is the future,” another team member said. “If we don’t do it, we’ll fall behind.”

Despite her concerns, Emma silenced herself. Everyone else was on board, and she didn’t want to be the only one resisting. The team pushed forward, allocating significant time and resources into building the chatbot.

Months later, the chatbot barely functioned. It was riddled with issues, users found it unnecessary, and the company’s core product updates had suffered. By then, it was too late. They had wasted months chasing a trend instead of focusing on their strengths.

Groupthink bias states that the pressure to conform leads to poor decision-making. Instead of critically evaluating whether an idea is truly beneficial, people go along with the group simply because it feels safer. Challenging ideas might be uncomfortable, but healthy debate is crucial for innovation and success.