In the news. Leading in the AI era requires bold bets. Fast Company reports that winning organizations will embrace entirely new operating models rather than layer AI onto existing workflows. AI-enabled companies can create value by building systems in which smaller teams orchestrate workflows, agents, and decision-making processes—leveraging the power of both human judgment and automation. For leaders, capturing AI’s full value requires redesigning the organization itself, not just focusing on short-term gains. [Fast Company]

“Every AI transformation is, at its heart, a people transformation. We often overfocus on the technology and miss the fact that people have to use it.”
—Kate Smaje, senior partner, McKinsey

On McKinsey.com. Rewiring organizations for the AI age expands beyond adoption—it requires a cultural transformation led from the top. This is a key takeaway from the second edition of Rewired (Rewired: How Leading Companies Win with Technology and AI, Wiley, April 2026), according to coauthors Eric Lamarre, Robert Levin, and Kate Smaje. In an edition of Author Talks, they stress that leaders must reimagine workflows, processes, and business models—and understand how people will need to work differently—to create value from AI. Learn how leading companies execute AI at scale.

Rewire for growth

In the news. Yes, AI will change the future of work, but The New York Times notes two reasons for optimism: First, history shows that technological disruption consistently creates new categories of work and demand for human talent. Second, human judgment and empathy remain differentiators—even in industries with heavy AI adoption. [NYT]

On McKinsey.com. AI is resetting the economics of business building—compressing timelines, reducing capital requirements, and reshaping talent models. McKinsey’s Chris Smith, Daniel Aminetzah, Fabian Metzeler, Jason Bello, Paul Jenkins, and their coauthors detail essential shifts that leaders can make to build businesses faster and better, following the lead of successful AI-first ventures. These include setting materially higher expectations for speed and productivity, building a technology foundation that enables human–agent collaboration from day one, and deploying small, expert teams to achieve what once required full departments.

Rethink business building

AI that actually delivers

In the news. AI adoption is rapidly becoming a mandate. The Wall Street Journal reports that technology companies are increasingly measuring and mandating AI usage to drive productivity. Some firms even incorporate AI fluency into performance management and hiring criteria. In a survey of tech industry employees from October 2025, 42% said their manager expected them to use AI tools daily—up from 32% just eight months earlier. [WSJ]

On McKinsey.com. What sets apart organizations that lead in generating value from AI? They apply technology to solve real business problems, say McKinsey’s Alex Singla, Alexander Sukharevsky, Eric Lamarre, Kate Smaje, and Robert Levin. The authors of the second edition of Rewired outline 12 themes central to successful tech transformation, including building enduring capabilities and identifying economic leverage points that can drive outsize returns with AI.

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