MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Preparing for the Coming Skill Shifts

In the age of AI, companies should focus on retraining the people they already have.

About 80% of U.S. and European CEOs surveyed by McKinsey say they worry about ensuring that their companies have the right skills mix to thrive in the age of AI and automation. Those leaders come from a variety of industries, and they’re smart to be thinking about talent at a strategic level.

Given the complexities of implementing the new technologies, companies will, of course, need people who can design the right algorithms and interpret the data. But they’ll also need so-called “softer” skills to do the work that machines aren’t capable of doing. Our research suggests that demand for social and emotional skills will grow by about one-quarter by 2030, and we also see a clear shift toward higher cognitive skills, including creativity and complex information processing.

About the Author

Jacques Bughin is a senior partner in the Brussels office of the management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. (@McKinsey) and a director of the McKinsey Global Institute (@McKinsey_MGI).

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