McKinseyGlobal InstituteAgents, robots. andus:Skill partnershipsin the age of AlsusRamireNovemher2005
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McKinsey Global InstituteThe Mckinsey/Globalnstitute wasestablishedin 1990. Ourmission istoprovide afactbasetoaid decision making on the economic and bus inesisues most critial to the world'scompanies,and policy leaders. We benefit from the fullrangeof Mckinsey'sreginal, sectoral,and functional knowledge, skils, and expertise, but editrial direction and decisions aresolely the responsibity ofMGldirectorsandpartners.Ourresearchiscurrentlygroupedintofivemajorthemes:; Prodluicfivilv andborosseritvw.Creatinand harnessing the world 's assetsmost productivelyResourcesoftheworld:Buildina.powerina, and feedina theworld sustainablyHumanpotential: Maximizing and achieving the potential of humantalentGlobal connections:Exploringhow flows of goods, services, people, capital, and ideashapeeconomies-Technolorlesand marketsof thefuture:Discussingthe nextbig arenasofvaluve and competitionWeaimfor independent and fact-based research. None of our workis commissioned or funded byany business, government, or other ins titution; we share our results publicly free of charge; and weare entirely funded bythe partners of McKinsey. While we engage mutipledistinguished externalany errors areour own.YoucanfindoutmoreaboutMGlandourresearchatw.mckinsey.com/mglMGldirectorsMGIpartnersSvenSmit(chair)MekalaKrishnanChrisBradleyAnuMadgavkarKweilinEllinarudJanMischkeSylvainJohanssonJeongminSeongNickLeungOliviaWhiteLareinaYee
ContentsAtaglance3Introduction 4CHAPTER1The workforce of the future will be a partnershipof people, agents, and robots 7CHAPTER2Human skills will evolve. not disappear.aspeopleworkcloselv with Al 21CHAPTER3Entire workflows can be reimagined aroundpeople, agents, and robots 35CHAPTER4Leadershipis crucial as agents and robotsreshaneworkand theeconomv52Glossaryofterms55Acknowledaments 56Endnotes57
At a glanceWork in the futurewill be a partnership between people, agents, and robots-all poweredbyAl.Today's technologies could the oretically au tomate more than half of current US work hours. his reflectshow profoundly work may change,but itisnot a forecast ofjphblossesAdontion wiltake time. As it unfolds, some roles will hrink, others groworshit, while newvwillhe anolied differently.More than 70 percentof the skills soughtby employers tod ay are used in both automatable and non-automatable workThisoverlapmeans mostskills remvant, but howand where they are used willevolvend leastexposedtoext five years.Digital and information-processing skillscould bemostDemandfor Alfluency-the ablity touse and manage Altols-hasgrownsevenfoldintweyears,fasterthan forany otherskillin USjob postings. Thesurgeis istble acrossindusties andBy 2030,about$2.9 trillion of economicvalue could beunlockedin the UnitedStates-iforganizations prepare their people and redesigan work lows, rather than individultasks, aroundpeople,agen...
