Strategy Summit 2026: Who’s Going to Succeed with AI?

About this episode

Andrew McAfee discusses the uncertain impact of AI on business and the potential mistakes in hiring practices.

Artificial intelligence is advancing quickly, but its real impact on productivity, jobs, and competitive advantage is still uncertain. In this four-part special series, we'll share conversations from the recent HBR Strategy Summit to help you get ahead. In this episode, Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist at MIT and cofounder and codirector of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy at the MIT Sloan School of Management, will explain why we’re in a moment where “nobody knows anything” about how AI will ultimately reshape business—and what leaders should do anyway. Plus, he argues cutting entry-level hiring because of AI could be a major long-term mistake. HBR editor at large Adi Ignatius contributes audience questions.

People in this episode

Guest: Andrew McAfee

Topics covered

• artificial intelligence
• productivity
• business strategy
• competitive advantage
• hiring practices

Keywords

• AI
• business
• productivity
• hiring
• strategy
• competitive advantage

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MIT, MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, MIT Sloan School of Management

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