Many of our clients ask, “How can we rewire our organizations for artificial intelligence (AI)?”
Almost none ask the question that will ultimately determine whether AI delivers value: “Are we investing in the human advantage: our brains?”
In today’s workforce, access to technology is no longer the differentiator—human capability is. As AI transforms work in an era of compounding disruption and uncertainty, organizations will increasingly rely on employees who excel in qualities like resilience, empathy, and creativity. But the pace of change brought about by AI threatens to dull these capabilities, just when they are needed most. Recent research by the McKinsey Health Institute and the World Economic Forum argues that the winners in the AI era will invest in “brain capital” with the same ambition that they bring to technology.
Brain capital is an economic asset as essential as physical or financial capital. It is built on two foundations. “Brain health” refers to a state of optimal brain functioning, supported by prevention and treatment of mental, neurological, and substance use conditions. “Brain skills” are the cognitive, interpersonal, self-leadership and technological literacy abilities that enable people to adapt, innovate, and lead. The two elements are interdependent; better brain health supports stronger brain skills, and vice versa.
