Cross the digital–physical divide
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| | Brought to you by Alex Panas, global leader of industries, & Becca Coggins, global leader of functional practices and growth platforms
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| | | | | In the news. Humanoid robots are edging closer to everyday deployment as advances in AI improve their ability to follow instructions, navigate spaces, and perform physical tasks, Forbes reports. Most are deployed in factories and warehouses to address labor shortages and perform repetitive or hazardous tasks. As capabilities improve and costs decline, their reach could extend to hospitals and homes—and their numbers could swell, with one forecast putting them at over a billion by 2050. As adoption accelerates, leaders will need to address safety, privacy, cybersecurity, and, crucially, workforce acceptance. [Forbes] | | | |
| AI is the most powerful accelerant in recent history. Its speed is also its biggest obstacle. | | | |
| On McKinsey.com. As AI moves beyond screens and into the physical world, what will it take to make a real-world impact? McKinsey’s Technology Trends Outlook 2026 highlights robotics as one of 14 technology trends being accelerated by AI. But as technological capabilities advance, the constraints are shifting: Increasingly, progress depends on access to chips, power, capital, and talent. McKinsey experts Michael Chui, Roger Roberts, and Tanguy Catlin examine what these changing bottlenecks mean for organizations looking to scale the next generation of technologies—and why doing so will require rewiring operating models rather than simply deploying new technology.
Explore the forces shaping technology | | | |
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| | | In the news. Indian fragrance brands are gaining global traction with scents rooted in South Asian culture and lived experience. As consumers seek more distinctive fragrances, digital discovery and growing retailer interest are helping homegrown labels reach global audiences, creating new opportunities to scale. [FT]
On McKinsey.com. Billion-dollar beauty brands remain rare. McKinsey analysis of more than 400 beauty brands founded since 2005 finds that just seven—including two fragrance brands—reached $1 billion in annual sales in 2025. Experts Alexis Wolfer, Kristi Weaver, Sara Hudson, and their coauthors examine how the formula for growth changes as brands scale—and where momentum can stall.
Explore the path to $1 billion | | |
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| | | In the news. AI is transforming tech from an asset-light business into an increasingly capital-intensive one. As leading models converge in capability, competitive advantage could shift toward companies that can most efficiently finance, build, and operate the infrastructure that powers them. [Fortune]
On McKinsey.com. Fast-growing arenas such as AI, robotics, and electric vehicles are reshaping where and how value is created. McKinsey experts Antoine Montard, Bruce Delteil, and Kevin Russell explore why competing in these dynamic markets requires leaders to look beyond legacy industry positions and direct capital and resources to emerging sources of advantage.
Rethink where to compete | | |
| —Edited by Ramya DRozario, associate editor, Gurugram
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