Forward Thinking

We’ve been hearing for a long time that robots are coming for our jobs. Now, with widespread global unemployment due to COVID-19, that sounds even more ominous. But what if robots and AI could, in fact, help with recovery? Well, it’s possible. For instance, in some rural parts of the US, artificial intelligence and machine learning are making these regions more economically viable.

In this episode of Forward Thinking, we’ll hear an interview with one of the leading technology strategists in the world: Kevin Scott. Kevin is the chief technology officer and vice president of artificial intelligence and research at Microsoft. He also has a new book out called Reprogramming the American Dream.

The interview is conducted by MGI’s own James Manyika, who is a co-chairman and director of the McKinsey Global Institute, and a senior partner at McKinsey & Company. He’s also a deep expert in his own right when it comes to artificial intelligence and machine learning. That’s why James sat down with Kevin to discuss how AI might be the key to democratizing technology to work better for all of us.

This conversation was recorded in May 2020.

To read a transcript of this episode, visit: https://mck.co/forwardthinking

Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

“Digital is changing the way that we create value in society. Where in value chains does that happen? Who gets the benefits? And is there a gap between what we measure in dollars and the economic welfare, the benefits, that people can get from these digital services? There's a wedge opening up between the categories and the dollar values that we can assign to activities and the benefits that people are getting and who is getting those benefits, as well.”

Diane Coyle is known for her critique of how economic activity has been measured and valued. She’s written about how transactions are counted in dollars, but that accounting really leaves out important things like physical resources, intellectual resources, and valuable activity that isn't traded for money.

In this episode, we speak to hear to understand more about why this matters, how to rectify this measurement, and whether she’s optimistic about the future after COVID-19.

This conversation was recorded in February 2021.

To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/forwardthinking

Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

You’ve heard about the Industrial Revolution and the digital revolution. But now, we’re heading into a Bio Revolution. And this is going to transform the economy and society in many ways—even beyond health and agriculture. And we need to understand both the potential for good and how to avoid the pitfalls.

In this episode, we start with a picture of the science that’s happening, then explore where might these advances lead. Our guests are two people doing truly amazing work literally on the very frontiers of where these advances are taking place. Jason Kelly is the founder of Ginkgo Bioworks, a biotech company that describes itself as “the organism company.” And Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath is the president and CEO of the Biological Innovation Organization (BIO).

Interview date: November 2020

To read more about the Bio Revolution, visit: mck.co/biorev To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/forwardthinking

Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

As part of Black History Month, MGI co-chair James Manyika had an open, candid conversation with Mellody Hobson and an audience of McKinsey colleagues in the San Francisco office. “You can almost pick any arena you want in American business, society, and community, and I think you’ll probably find Mellody involved, playing some important pioneering role there.” From her childhood on the South Side of Chicago, to Princeton, to leading Ariel Investments and now chairing the board of Starbucks, Mellody Hobson is an inspirational business leader and investor. She shares her journey, a peek into her how she sees her work, and gives advice on mentorship, sponsorship, and difficult feedback. On that note, she says: “Accept it, do not push back, do not fight. If this feedback is a gift, take it for what it is.”

This conversation was recorded on February 21, 2020.

To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/mellodyhobson

Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The Bio Revolution has the potential to transform our lives, and genome editing—the ability to change the DNA sequence in a targeted way using CRISPR-Cas9, is one of the key innovations that has sparked imaginations while also raising its fair share of controversy. What is the origin of this technique? How do we weigh the enormous benefits against the potential risks? And what is its role in solving the global coronavirus pandemic? As part of the McKinsey Global Institute’s research on the Bio Revolution, partner Michael Chui spoke with Jennifer Doudna, PhD, one of the scientists who discovered the genome-editing technique CRISPR-Cas9 and leading proponent of its responsible use. Jennifer is a professor of molecular and cell biology and chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. The Doudna lab pursues a mechanistic understanding of fundamental biological processes involving RNA molecules.

To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/3dEJWhJ

To read more about the Bio Revolution, visit: mck.co/biorev

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Millions of people have lost their jobs over the past year, and the jobs that are going to be available coming out of the pandemic might be really different from those that were available even a few years ago. Just think about some of the jobs that employed a lot of people before: in-person services like personal care, dining, travel, and leisure. All those things have been decimated by the impact of COVID. How many of these are coming back? How do we help unemployed workers find new jobs and new career paths? What support do they need along the way? Would we or could we even get to no unemployment? What really works when it comes to policies to address these problems? How do we even know they’re working?

We ask these questions (and more) to Sir Chris Pissarides, He’s a Nobel prize-winning economist, the professor of economics at London School of Economics, and professor of European studies at the University of Cyprus. Chris specializes in labor markets, macroeconomic policy, economic growth, and structural change.

This conversation was recorded in February 2021.

To read a transcript of this episode, visit: mck.co/forwardthinking

Follow @McKinsey_MGI on Twitter and the McKinsey Global Institute on LinkedIn for more.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >
   Listen to the podcast (duration: 00:90) >  Forward Thinking is a new podcast series hosted by Michael Chui and Anna Bernasek. We want to inform and provoke your thinking by interviewing names you may know—like Nobel prizewinners Jennifer Doudna and Sir Christopher Pissarides—and by introducing up-and-comers you should know. We ask experts to tell us about the key changes they see that will shape our lives, our businesses, and our societies…Including what comes next after COVID-19, global health, climate change, the future of work, diversity, inclusion, inequality, and cutting-edge technology like the bio revolution and artificial intelligence. Interviews are underpinned by deep McKinsey Global Institute research that provides fundamental insights needed by leaders like you.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >
   Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:53) >  We speak with two leaders on the forefront of applying AI techniques such as automation and machine learning in the business world. How can CEOs stay ahead of the curve in training and developing their workforce for using this technology? Since companies are doing the hiring and creating the jobs, what role do they play in talent and development? How should companies think about hiring as work changes? John Donahoe, CEO of ServiceNow, and Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, tackle the tough questions facing companies today.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >
   Listen to the podcast (duration: 35:55) >  We’ve explored McKinsey Global Institute’s research on the future of work in this podcast series. What do other experts have to say? We sat down with Zoe Baird, CEO of the Markle Foundation, and Tim O’Reilly, founder of O’Reilly Media, at the Churchill Club in San Francisco to share their thoughts on the new world of work. They address key questions including: how do we retrain the workforce? What role does government play in the transition? How are businesses preparing for the shift? How do we ensure an equitable future of work? And, should we consider universal basic income?

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >
   Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:14) >  Automation will displace many jobs over the next 10-15 years, but many others will be created, and even more will change. Jobs of the future will use different skills and may have higher educational requirements. In this episode, we ask experts how we can retrain workers for the new world of work and what the shifts might mean for occupations and wages.

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information