In the news. Women in the UK are facing increasing delays in accessing healthcare, with gynecology waiting lists in England now rising to 565,000 patients, the BBC reports. The UK government is responding by overhauling women’s healthcare after years of criticism that women have endured unequal care. New reforms include a patient feedback funding model for gynecology, faster referrals, and improved pain management for invasive procedures, underscoring the growing recognition that women’s health requires systemwide action. [BBC]

Women’s health is not a niche agenda. It is a mainstream health, workforce, and economic priority.

On McKinsey.com. The case for improving women’s health extends beyond better care. McKinsey Health Institute research by Alex Beauvais, Anouk Petersen, Lucy Pérez, and Rea Zhubi finds that improvements could add about £36 billion to annual UK GDP by 2040 while giving every woman the equivalent of ten more healthy days each year. The analysis argues that most of the burden comes not from reproductive health alone but from common conditions (such as stroke and arthritis) that affect women differently or disproportionately. Closing gaps in care delivery, evidence, and data could improve health, workforce participation, and economic growth, the report shows.

Close the gap, unlock the gain

In the news. The next customer may not be human. As AI shopping agents begin comparing products, monitoring prices, and making purchases on consumers’ behalf, brands will need to compete for the attention of algorithms as well as people, Harvard Business Review argues. Where people respond to advertising, design, and emotion when making a purchase, AI agents rely on product information, brand credibility, and machine-readable content to determine what to recommend and buy. [HBR]

On McKinsey.com. A world of always-on, AI-driven customer journeys requires a new marketing playbook. McKinsey’s Eli Stein, Jamie Wilkie, Julien Boudet, Kelsey Robinson, Lalit Bhagia, and Emily Scofield outline five capabilities—including continuous insights, scaled creativity, and always-on orchestration—that can help companies build an AI-first growth engine. Companies that redesign marketing around these capabilities could achieve 4% to 7% revenue growth while improving productivity.

Rethink marketing for the AI era

AI’s investor test

In the news. Unprecedented capital is funding the AI build-out through equity offerings, bond issuance, private credit, and public listings—even as questions persist about whether today’s spending will yield tomorrow’s profits, The Wall Street Journal reports. One technology company raised $85 billion in equity, while AI infrastructure companies issued $159 billion in bonds this year. Money is still flowing into AI, but the bar is rising, with investors increasingly seeking evidence that these investments will deliver durable returns. [WSJ]

On McKinsey.com. As investors become more selective, what distinguishes the companies they back? McKinsey’s 2026 investor survey by Ezra Greenberg, Jennifer Heller, Ryan Davies, Sébastien Lacroix, and John Evers reveals that ambition isn’t enough. Companies that connect AI investments to measurable business outcomes, demonstrate resilience, and allocate capital with discipline are more likely to earn investor confidence. The survey finds that 77% of respondents view AI and a clear technology strategy as highly important, while 69% rank geopolitics among their top investment concerns.

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