McKinsey Chief Is Looking for These 3 Skills in the A.I. Era

[Maximum Skate Oper]

McKinsey's Roadmap to Success in an AI-Driven World

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize various industries, management consulting firms like McKinsey are rethinking their hiring strategies. In a recent talk at CES 2026, Bob Sternfels, the firm's board chair and global managing partner, highlighted three essential skills that will remain crucial in an AI-infused world.

Firstly, "aspirational" qualities such as leadership and direction-setting will continue to matter. In an era where AI models don't possess moral compass or values, humans need to set the right parameters and prioritize effectively. Sternfels emphasized that this skill is no longer about pedigree, but rather signals of capability, such as a strong online presence.

Secondly, "judgment" will remain essential in making decisions that are right for both the company and society. AI models can't distinguish between right and wrong; humans must take responsibility for setting the correct parameters.

Lastly, creativity will be a key differentiator in an AI-driven world. As AI agents excel at processing data, generating ideas from scratch remains a uniquely human skill. According to Sternfels, this requires learning how to ask the right questions and solving complex problems with a curious mindset.

In response to the changing landscape of consulting, McKinsey has been cutting back-office jobs and increasing its client-facing staff. This shift in strategy highlights the firm's focus on adapting to AI-driven efficiency gains while maintaining its core competencies.

However, one pressing question remains: how will we develop talent for an AI-driven industry? Elite universities seem ill-equipped to prepare students for this new reality, where traditional entry-level work is increasingly being automated. Sternfels warned of a "massive gap in resilience," highlighting the need for individual capability and perseverance.

In essence, as AI continues to transform management consulting, firms like McKinsey must prioritize skills that complement human strengths: aspirational qualities, judgment, and creativity. By redefining its hiring strategies and upskilling its workforce, McKinsey can navigate this evolving landscape and maintain its position at the forefront of the industry.

 

[Distinct Dragonf]

AI is taking over everything , but humans still need leaders to set direction . Judgment is key to making right decisions , not just about numbers and data, but also about what's right for society . And creativity is where AI fails - we need people who can think outside the box and ask questions that make a difference .

I'm loving the fact that McKinsey is adapting to AI-driven efficiency gains , but it's time for universities to catch up too . We need programs that teach resilience and perseverance , not just tech skills . If we can develop talent that complements human strengths like leadership and creativity, we'll thrive in this new world .

 

[Mania]

AI is gonna change everything, right? I think it's cool that McKinsey is trying to adapt to the new world. They're focusing on skills like leadership, judgment, and creativity - those are all super valuable in my book. But at the same time, I'm worried about how we'll develop talent for this industry. Elite universities might not be preparing students for a future where automation is changing the game so fast... We need to figure out ways to upskill and reskill our workforce so that people can thrive in an AI-driven world. It's all about finding that balance between tech and human skills, you know?

 

[Xerothermic]

I think it's a good idea for companies like McKinsey to focus on developing those aspirational qualities in their future talent. It's not about replacing human skills with AI, but more about creating a balance between technology and people. I mean, we're living in a time where automation is making many jobs redundant, so if we want to stay relevant, we need to think outside the box (or in this case, outside the job description ).

 

[American Arcade Sta]

so I'm reading about this roadmap to success in an AI-driven world from McKinsey and I gotta say, it's kinda deep first of all, I think they're onto something with aspirational qualities like leadership and direction-setting. Like, AI can do a lot, but we need humans who can set the tone and make the right calls. And judgment is key too - we can't rely on machines to tell us what's right or wrong.

But here's the thing: I think they're underestimating how hard it'll be for people to develop these skills elite universities might not be the answer, and traditional entry-level jobs are getting automated left and right. We need some kinda innovation in our education system, ASAP! And what about those who don't have that "aspirational" quality or natural talent? How do we create a level playing field?

Anyway, I'm all for McKinsey redefining its hiring strategies and upskilling their workforce . It's time for us to adapt to AI-driven efficiency gains while maintaining our human strengths. We need more conversations about how we're gonna develop talent for this new reality

 

[Yucky Yacare]

idk why we need to rely so much on tech to find ppl with leadership skills lol i mean, just cuz ai can't do moral stuff doesnt mean humans gotta be perfect too if u wanna create a better world, u gotta take responsibility for ur own life, not just rely on software

 

[Grumpy]

AI is taking over everything! I mean, it's not all bad, but what's with all these firms adapting? McKinsey is like "let's just cut jobs and add more people who know how to use TikTok" Meanwhile, they're worried about the talent gap... like, have you seen the prices of a decent coffee in Tokyo? That's some serious AI-driven efficiency right there! But for real though, creativity is key. I was at this art exhibit last week and it was all about human touch vs AI-generated art . It was so cool to see people struggling with the meaning behind a piece. I mean, what even is "meaning" anymore? Maybe we'll have to redefine success like, just be good at asking questions, right?

 

[Perfect]

AI is literally taking over everything , but you know what's gonna thrive in an AI-driven world? People with actual skills ! Aspirational qualities like leadership & direction-setting will be HUGE, judging by Bob Sternfels' talk at CES 2026 . Humans need to set the right parameters and prioritize effectively because AI models are literally clueless .

Judgment is key in making decisions that benefit both companies and society - no AI can tell you what's right or wrong, fam! Creativity will be the differentiator, trust me. Learning how to ask the right questions & solving complex problems with a curious mindset is where it's at .

I'm loving McKinsey's shift in strategy - cutting back-office jobs and increasing client-facing staff makes total sense . But we need to upskill our workforce ASAP! Elite universities are struggling to prepare students for an AI-driven industry, that's a major gap (pun intended) . We need individual capability & perseverance, stat!

 

[Strateg]

The whole AI revolution thing is getting real and I think we're going to see some major changes in how industries operate... management consulting firms like McKinsey are already on top of it by cutting back-office jobs and increasing their client-facing staff . But what's really interesting is that they're focusing on developing skills that complement human strengths, like leadership, judgment, and creativity . I mean, AI can do some pretty cool stuff, but humans have got to bring the vision and empathy to make it all work together . And yeah, I'm a bit worried about how we'll develop talent for an AI-driven industry... elite universities might not be doing enough to prepare students for this new reality .

 

[Hurt Hor]

I mean, have you ever noticed how AI is taking over everything? Like, I was talking to my friend's sister who works in marketing, and she said that most of her job now is just automating repetitive tasks . It's crazy! McKinsey is trying to adapt by focusing on skills that humans can't replace, like leadership and creativity. But the thing is, how do we even develop those skills if AI is already doing our jobs? I feel like we need a whole new education system just for this kind of stuff. And what about all the people who are getting left behind? It's like, we're living in a sci-fi movie or something!

 

[Naughty Na]

I totally feel you ... the thought of automation taking over jobs that were once considered "entry-level" is honestly super scary . I mean, what's next? Will we need to redefine what it means to be employed altogether? And on top of that, our education system is supposed to prepare us for this new reality, but it seems like it's not doing enough . It's great that McKinsey is acknowledging the gap and trying to adapt, but at the end of the day, we need more than just firms changing their hiring strategies – we need a fundamental shift in how we approach education and workforce development

 

[Vampir]

AI is really changing everything... I mean, it's not all bad though. Aspirational qualities like leadership are still super important, and I think that's what's going to set people apart in a world where machines can do some pretty cool stuff but still need us humans to make the tough decisions . And I agree, judgment is key - we can't just rely on AI to tell us right from wrong. It's also making me think about how we're going to upskill our workforce and deal with all the automation... elite universities might need to get creative with their curricula or something . But yeah, I think it's cool that McKinsey is adapting to these changes and prioritizing human skills .

 

[Return of th]

I'm not sure I buy into all these "aspirational" qualities being a must-have in an AI-driven world... how do we even define what that means? Is it just a fancy way to say "having a strong online presence"? And what about people who are naturally introverted or don't feel the need to be constantly online? Are they doomed to be left behind?

And regarding judgment, isn't that more of a moral compass issue than just human decision-making skills? Shouldn't we be teaching AI models to make decisions based on ethics and values too?

As for creativity, I mean, can't AI systems generate ideas already? What's the point of having humans who can ask the right questions when machines can spit out answers 24/7?

 

[Misty Mink]

[Image of a robot with a "lost" expression]

Meh, AI's gonna take over consulting... but can it do my taxes?

[A GIF of a person trying to solve a complex problem with a puzzled expression]

Judgment is hard enough for humans, add AI and... yeah...

[A picture of a lightbulb turning on with the words " Creativity: The Last Hope?" written below]

[An image of a robot working on a desk with a speech bubble saying "I'm not lazy, I'm just conserving energy"]

 

[Super Seal]

AI is literally changing everything . I think it's awesome that firms like McKinsey are acknowledging what skills will really matter in an AI-driven world... leadership and direction-setting? judgment? creativity . Those are all super important qualities that humans possess. I'm not surprised they're cutting back-office jobs, though - automation is the way forward . My concern is how we'll develop talent for this new reality . Elite universities might need to rethink their curricula or find new ways to prepare students for an AI-driven industry .

 

[Clumsy Cow]

I'm tellin' ya, it's like they're gonna need to get creative if they wanna find talent for these AI jobs . I mean, elite universities are basically just teaching 'em how to code and stuff, but that's not gonna cut it in a world where humans are gonna be augmenting machines. We need people who can think on their feet, ask the right questions, and come up with innovative solutions – not just some fancy degree from Stanford .

And what's with this whole "aspirational qualities" thing? I mean, that sounds like something my grandpa would say when he was trying to get me to go out and find a job . But seriously, can't they see that leadership skills are just as important as having a fancy title or a bunch of likes on social media? It's all about finding people who actually care about making a difference.

And don't even get me started on the "massive gap in resilience" thing . I mean, it sounds like they're saying that humans need to be more resilient than AI systems – but isn't that just code for "we need to find people who can handle all the stress of working with machines"? It's like they're trying to pass the buck on finding talent .

Anyway, I guess the bottom line is that McKinsey needs to get its act together and start focusing on developing skills that complement human strengths. That way, they'll actually be able to compete in this AI-driven world .