The quarter’s top themes

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McKinsey Top Ten

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Top Ten McKinsey Themes │ Fourth Quarter 2025

In the final quarter of 2025, our top ten posts from McKinsey Themes highlight strategy, self-driving cars, learning and development, and more. At No. 1 is 5 McKinsey insights on how agentic AI is reshaping industries, featuring the life sciences, automotive, advanced industries, and travel sectors. Read on for our full top ten.

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1. 5 McKinsey insights on how agentic AI is reshaping industries

Nearly eight in ten companies report using gen AI—yet, paradoxically, just as many report no significant bottom-line impact. Now, with the rapid rise of agentic AI, organizations must continue to upskill their workforces, adapt their tech infrastructure, and deploy agent-specific governance mechanisms. The agentic advantage

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2. How ‘Strategy Champions’ master the craft of winning

The goal of any strategy is to build long-term value, and in today’s uncertain times, the rewards for crafting breakthrough strategies have never been greater. Neither have the penalties for getting strategy wrong. 6 strategy insights

An image linking to the web page “The future of self-driving cars: Reinventing the road ahead”

3. The future of self-driving cars: Reinventing the road ahead

The age of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is no longer a distant vision. Early fleets of AVs on the road today offer a glimpse of what’s to come: harried commutes transformed into productive hours, intersections managed with precision, and roads made safer for everyone. The view to 2040 and beyond

4. Ready, set, learn: Prioritizing L&D in today’s workplace

Rapid technological advancements, shifting market dynamics, and a complex regulatory landscape are reshaping industries—and the ways people work—at a breakneck pace. Create a learning organization

5. The future of AI in insurance: ‘It’s not enough to tinker’

The latest AI advances are transforming the insurance industry, enabling unprecedented levels of automation and unlocking opportunities to improve workflows such as sales, underwriting, and claims management. From pilots to progress

6. McKinsey thought leaders in global media

From AI transformations to upskilling in the job market, McKinsey thought leaders are regularly asked to weigh in on the issues shaping today’s business landscape. CEO burnout, AI, energy, and more

7. Thriving in the age of AI: McKinsey at Microsoft Ignite 2025

Microsoft Ignite 2025 begins this week in San Francisco, offering both online and in-person sessions to help organizations thrive in the age of AI. From potential to performance

8. Transformations: From bold ideas to lasting change

While Halloween reminds us of the thrill of temporary disguises, the real magic of transformation happens in the business world—and it’s far from a trick. What do you want to become?

9. How will your organization re:Invent the future?

AWS re:Invent kicks off tomorrow in Las Vegas. Tech enthusiasts, leaders, and experts from around the globe will gather to explore the future of cloud tech and agentic AI through innovation talks, expos, workshops, and more. Tech that moves everything

10. 6 recent CEO insights: Seeing blind spots, saying no, and more

The role of a CEO has never been more dynamic—or more demanding. In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, executives are navigating unprecedented challenges while seizing opportunities to create lasting value for their organizations, stakeholders, and the communities in which they operate. In case you missed them

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