Managing geopolitical value, how AI is redefining physical stores, and more

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Monthly Highlights, May 2026

Geopolitics is no longer just a risk to manage—it’s a source of measurable value at stake for global companies. In our featured story, Cindy Levy, Shubham Singhal, Matt Watters, Brooke Weddle, and Madeleine Goerg explain how leaders can prioritize actions, build resilience, and capture value in a fragmented global landscape and turn geopolitical uncertainty into a source of strategic advantage.

Other highlights include the following topics:

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the changing role of physical stores in the age of AI

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how AI will change the economics of competition

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reshaping mental health care in everyday spaces

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making human–AI collaboration work

Editor’s choice

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Managing geopolitical value at stake to seize opportunities while mitigating risk

Assessing the enterprise value linked to geopolitical shifts and embracing agility can help multinational companies thrive in a volatile and fragmented world.

How multinational companies can thrive

THIS MONTH’s HIGHLIGHTS

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Shopping in the age of AI: Redefining stores for a new era

As AI reshapes how shoppers discover and buy products, the store’s role is changing. Retailers and real estate firms must rethink store formats and shopping center portfolios to better fit consumers’ lives.
What’s next for stores

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Where AI will create value—and where it won’t

Using AI to boost productivity is unlikely to create a sustainable advantage. The real value from AI will lie in reshaping offerings, business models, and market structures before competitors do.
Map AI value

Scaling mental health where life happens: Helping Santiago thrive across the lifespan

Across the Chilean capital, a quiet mental health crisis is unfolding—from anxious teens to isolated seniors. Healthy Santiago is reshaping care by bringing it into everyday spaces through trusted community members—restoring connection, dignity, and hope while proving that compassionate, scalable solutions can transform lives and strengthen communities.
Support mental health locally

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The rise of the human–AI workforce

New research shows AI could take on more than half of US working hours—today. What do you need to know to lead a human–agent hybrid team?
Understand the AI–human partnership

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Two missions, one merger: Scaling impact in the veteran not-for-profit sector

By applying private sector M&A rigor, McKinsey helped two veteran not for profits merge not only their operations but also their distinct missions and program models—creating a unified platform to scale impact, strengthen sustainability, and serve more communities.
Discover how impact grows

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The AI transformation manifesto

Twelve themes separate companies that are truly rewired for AI from their peers.
Explore 12 defining themes

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AI is everywhere. The agentic organization isn’t—yet

Winning the race to rewire in 2026: Capturing operational advantage

Beyond $1 trillion: The next chapter for insurance and private capital

Turning humanoid supply chain constraints into billion-dollar wins

Designing an end-to-end technology workforce for the AI-first era

How leaders can help their organizations metabolize strain

From dashboards to decisions: Empowering merchants with agentic AI

Author Talks: What makes teams effective under pressure

An agile approach to hiring: Mastercard’s tech talent transformation

The future is shared: Financing task-sharing programs in mental health

McKinsey and Google Cloud launch the McKinsey Google Transformation Group to scale enterprise impact for the AI era

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—Edited by Joyce Yoo, editor, New York

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