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| | Brought to you by Alex Panas, global leader of industries, & Axel Karlsson, global leader of functional practices and growth platforms
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| | | | Following the paths of the steam engine, the internet, and the smartphone, gen AI has the potential to propel the newest transformation of how people work and how organizations operate. While much attention has been paid to gen AI’s rise over the past two years, most companies are just beginning their AI journeys. In fact, McKinsey research finds that only 1 percent of leaders report that their organizations have achieved maturity in their AI deployment—and they continue to ask lots of questions about the technology, on everything from organizing data and finding the right partners to balancing risk and value creation. This week, we look at how organizations can use gen AI to empower their employees and produce long-term value. | | | | | | | |
| | | Organizations investing in AI are on a quest to achieve “superagency,” a state where digitally empowered individuals supercharge their creativity, productivity, and positive impact. What will it take to get there? In a new report, McKinsey’s Hannah Mayer, Lareina Yee, Michael Chui, and Roger Roberts say that leaders must be bold in adopting AI to avoid falling behind their competitors. “The history of major economic and technological shifts shows that such moments can define the rise and fall of companies,” the authors note. It’s important for organizations to move quickly and responsibly in developing practical gen AI applications that can empower employees and generate measurable ROI. Executives also should recognize that leading a sustained digital transformation is about more than adopting a new technology. “It is a business challenge that calls upon leaders to align teams, address AI headwinds, and rewire their companies for change,” the authors say. To learn more, explore “AI in Action,” an interactive learning series featuring Yee and Silicon Valley pioneer Reid Hoffman, whose book Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future inspired the McKinsey report. | | |
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| Gen AI’s potential for great rewards also comes with some great risks. Gen AI-powered digital agents, which can execute tasks independently, may help people enhance the quality of their work. But tech industry observers also fear that these tools may present a major cybersecurity threat. McKinsey’s Justin Greis and Marc Sorel and coauthors note that gen AI represents a significant opportunity for cybersecurity solutions providers. “For those charged with keeping organizations safe, these new AI-based threats pose an unprecedented challenge—they are more sophisticated, unrelenting, and shifting,” they say. It’s critical for leaders in areas such as product development, compliance, risk, and operations to adopt AI guardrails to ensure the technology is used safely and responsibly. Guardrails can help organizations ensure AI-generated content is appropriate and accurate, protect against privacy and security breaches, comply with regulations, and maintain trust with customers. | | | Lead by thinking bigger about AI. | | | | | — Edited by Eric Quiñones, senior editor, New York
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