Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
"Is my generation doomed?" That’s what one Stanford graduating senior asked Professor Erik Brynjolfsson, economist and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The professor had seen the data, so he didn’t dismiss the question. But as productivity gains begin to emerge, Brynjolfsson argues that the biggest opportunity lies not in replacing workers but in redesigning work.
In this episode of _McKinsey Talks Talent,_ Brynjolfsson joins McKinsey leaders Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, as well as Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss what’s changing, who’s most susceptible to displacement, and what leaders need to know to create value while managing new risks.
*Chapters:*
00:00 – Intro
01:08 – Why AI productivity gains take time
03:30 – Why AI should augment people, not replace them
05:56 – Measuring AI beyond headcount reduction
09:45 – Why humans (and agents) struggle to estimate AI token costs
10:55 – Reshaping the career ladder
15:30 – Organizational redesign: Is the new generation “doomed”?
20:28 – The new opportunities for small businesses
23:00 – Knowledge sharing and the future of expertise
26:03 – What leaders—and the next generation—should do now
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"Is my generation doomed?" That’s what one Stanford graduating senior asked Professor Erik Brynjolfsson, economist and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The professor had seen the data, so he didn’t dismiss the question. But as productivity gains begin to emerge, Brynjolfsson argues that the biggest opportunity lies not in replacing workers but in redesigning work.
In this episode of _McKinsey Talks Talent,_ Brynjolfsson joins McKinsey leaders Brooke Weddle and Bryan Hancock, as well as Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss what’s changing, who’s most susceptible to displacement, and what leaders need to know to create value while managing new risks.
*Chapters:*
00:00 – Intro
01:08 – Why AI productivity gains take time
03:30 – Why AI should augment people, not replace them
05:56 – Measuring AI beyond headcount reduction
09:45 – Why humans (and agents) struggle to estimate AI token costs
10:55 – Reshaping the career ladder
15:30 – Organizational redesign: Is the new generation “doomed”?
20:28 – The new opportunities for small businesses
23:00 – Knowledge sharing and the future of expertise
26:03 – What leaders—and the next generation—should do now
Subscribe to our channel: mck.co/YouTube
Subscribe to our newsletters: mck.co/Subscribe
Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.
*Find us on:*
Facebook: mck.co/Facebook
Twitter: mck.co/Twitter
LinkedIn: mck.co/LinkedIn
Instagram: mck.co/Instagram
