The So What from BCG

Bryan Gauch, Leader of BCG’s Commercial Tech Topic, explains why CRM isn’t disappearing even as agentic AI reshapes how customers are served. He argues that CRM will keep serving as the data backbone while agents take over the interface. He also lays out the cost and resourcing questions CEOs need to answer before scaling their AI investment.

You’ll Learn:

Why agents are quietly replacing the screen, not the system,...

Vlad Lukic, BCG’s global leader for tech and digital advantage, and Paul Goydan, global leader of BCG’s cost offer, explain why so many companies spend more on AI than they get back. What is the fix? They argue it isn’t simply cutting AI spend, but assigning clear ownership, categorizing costs correctly, and tying every dollar to a business outcome.

You’ll Learn:

Business owners, not IT, should be accountable ...

Kristy Ellmer and Julia Dhar, co-authors of How Change Really Works and founders of BCG’s Behavioral Science Lab, explain why so many transformations fail and what the science says separates success from failure. They break down the “messy middle,” why people resist being changed rather than change itself, and how giving employees real agency turns resistance into momentum.

What You’ll Learn:

Why “false ...

Nick Goad, BCG's global co-leader for retail merchandising, argues that retail's biggest problem isn't a lack of data, it's the gap between data and real customer understanding. He explains how AI and large language models are finally bridging that divide, making it possible to localize assortment, sharpen pricing, and accelerate product innovation at scale. For leaders wondering where to start, he makes the case for codifying the ...

Ben Keneally, BCG’s Asia Pacific health care services leader, explains why AI is now many patients’ first stop — often before they see a doctor. He argues that pairing AI with personal health records improves outcomes and equity, and that health leaders, not LLMs, must shape how this shift unfolds.

You’ll Learn:

Why AI is becoming the default first step in care, especially in markets with limited access to cli...

Governments are racing to deploy AI. Most have the foundations, but struggle to translate them into faster, smarter execution without losing public trust. BCG's Miguel Carrasco and Daniel Selikowitz break down what separates the countries getting this right from those still stuck — and what every leader can take from their example.

You’ll Learn:

Why AI governance frameworks are quietly becoming the biggest barrier to AI d...

Industry 4.0 is moving beyond factory walls and into farms, forests, and fields.

David Potere, a senior tech leader in BCG’s Industrial Goods and Climate Change and Sustainability practices, explores AI’s move into the outdoor world. Robotics and connected systems are changing how farming and other outdoor activities get done.

You’ll Learn:

Outdoor automation requires AI systems that can operate with constant uncerta...

AI isn’t replacing jobs the way headlines suggest, but it is changing who keeps them.

Greg Emerson, BCG’s global leader of technology and AI investing, explains why AI will reshape three to four times more jobs than it replaces. He argues that fears of mass unemployment are overblown and the real challenge for leaders is redesigning roles, workflows, and mindsets.

You’ll Learn:

The real risk: workers who don’t ...

Navigating uncertainty means one thing: flexibility beats prediction.

Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, looks 25 years into the future, breaking down what four plausible scenarios mean for GDP growth, work hours, and defense spending. He explains what CEOs can do today to prepare for the faraway future.

You’ll Learn:

How scenarios connect uncertainty to revenue, risk, and strategy

How to stress-test you...

Sales teams are no longer defined by a few superstar performers. Japjit Ghai, who leads BCG’s AI efforts for sales globally, explains how AI is reshaping the entire sales workflow—from lead prioritization to real-time coaching and closing the deal. Winners won’t bolt on tools. They’ll integrate AI and agents from end to end.

Learn More:

Japjit Ghai: https://on.bcg.com/48IzJiV

How AI Agents Will Transform B2B Sa...

BCG CEO Insomnia Index–Understanding CEO Pressure: More than 70% of CEOs are under chronic stress—but the real sources might surprise you.

Drawing on BCG’s CEO Insomnia Index, Judith Wallenstein and Christine Barton unpack what’s driving the pressure, why it’s coming from closer than expected, and how it’s starting to impact decision-making at the top. While performance, growth, and cost pressures...

CEO lessons for navigating constant change: When resources are tight and uncertainty is high, what keeps organizations moving forward? New Jersey Performing Art Center CEO John Schreiber and BCG’s Rishi Varma share how purpose-led strategy, prioritization, and the right partnerships drive growth. Clear, actionable plans grounded in mission give leaders a north star, helping them stay focused and make hard calls with confidenc...

AI innovation no longer flows in one direction. Jeff Walters, who leads the AI topic in Asia Pacific, explains why companies across China, India, and Southeast Asia are moving at speed—and in some cases pulling ahead. For CEOs, the real differentiator isn’t geography. It’s leadership ambition, organizational change, and the willingness to rethink knowledge work from the ground up.

Learn more: Jeff Walters, Managing...

AI is no longer a technology experiment—it’s a business imperative. Val Elbert, a member of BCG’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice, explains why CEOs must shift from AI pilots to profit, demand quarterly results from all AI initiatives, and lead cross-functional AI transformations that deliver real bottom-line impact. The winners will scale fast. The rest will be left explaining themselves to in...

What makes a leadership team truly high performing, and why does it matter for the entire organization? Judith Wallenstein, CEO Advisory Global Lead of BCG, and Khadija Ben Hammada, Chief People Officer of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, explore this topic and more. They share how CEOs can build executive teams grounded in trust, purpose, and psychological safety. When the top team clicks, the whole company moves faster and with mo...

The global energy transition is growing in complexity with shifting economics, soaring electricity demand, and competing national priorities. Maurice Berns and Asheesh Sastry from BCG’s Center for Energy Impact lay out how leaders can keep up by focusing on the economics, creating strategies for individual markets, and staying ahead of policy shifts.

Learn More:

1. Maurice Berns, Chair, BCG Center for En...

Join several BCG senior partners as they share their insights from their time on the ground at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. BCG invites you to an exclusive look at the forces shaping the CEO agenda in 2026.

BCG’s Judith Wallenstein, Aparna Bharadwaj, and Vlad Lukic discuss what they learned from their personal conversations with CEOs and global leaders at Davos. They share practical guidance for organizat...

CEOs must pursue growth transformation with the same rigor that they bring when they tackle costs. Tuukka Seppä, BCG’s global chair of transformation, explains why CEOs need bold targets, smart incentives, and relentless follow-through to scale effectively. He unpacks the common misconceptions that hold companies back, the impact of a chief transformation officer, and why this is the moment to shift from reacting to rebuildin...

Rich Lesser, BCG’s global chair, and Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, reflect on the shocks and surprises that shaped the first half of the decade and what they reveal about the future. They explore the traits leaders need today: building trust, staying geopolitically aware, and adopting AI in a people-centered way.

Learn More:

Rich Lesser: https://on.bcg.com/4lZrWla

Martin Reeves: https://on.bcg.com/4lXaA...