Imagine This...

The Future of Trade: How Will Multinational CEOs Succeed?

As regional trading blocs emerge, today’s multinational playbooks will become increasingly obsolete. Marc Gilbert, BCG’s Global Lead for its Center for Geopolitics, unpacks what every CEO needs to know to master the multi-polar world, from what winning looks like to navigating local rules, preferences and politics without losing the global edge.    Learn More:  Marc Gilbert: https://on.bcg.com/4p2KjqP [https://on.bcg.com/4p2KjqP]  What’s in Your Tariff Response Toolkit?: https://on.bcg.com/47z0M03 [https://on.bcg.com/47z0M03]  Services Are the New Fault Lines in Global Trade: https://on.bcg.com/43hUsaM [https://on.bcg.com/43hUsaM]  BCG on International Trade: https://on.bcg.com/3JBZoAB [https://on.bcg.com/3JBZoAB]  Bonus Content on Trade and Tariffs: https://youtu.be/08RH9rSjH5Y [https://youtu.be/08RH9rSjH5Y] Chapters  00:00-01:38 The scenario: The multinational has become regional  01:39-02:57 The current state of trade and tariffs  02:58-04:25 How are CEOs navigating geopolitical risk?  04:26-06:59 What are command centers and how are leaders using them?  7:00-08:11 How do CEOs focus on long-term value during turbulence?  08:12-10:18 What major trade blocs could emerge in the future?  10:19-11:54 Will companies need to restructure to thrive?  11:55-12:57 How will companies adapt?  12:58-13:53 Which industries are likely to be most disrupted?  13:54-14:33 Bill and GENE Teaser  14:34-16:39 How can companies acquire the best talent?  16:40-17:34 How can companies insure they have the best AI talent?  17:35-19:21 How would regulation develop in this new world?  19:22-20:10 How should companies think about their headquarters?  20:11-21:11 Will local wins cannibalize global value?  21:12-22:39 How will trade disputes be handled?  22:40-23:51 What scenarios could disrupt this future?  23:52-25:47 What is one no-regret move CEOs can make now?  25:48-28:34 Bill and GENE: Building apps with no experience using AI  28:35-29:18 Outro  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Force Multiplier or Co-Worker? Humans, AI, and the Future of Work

Many fear a future where huge swaths of the workforce are replaced by AI. But those concerns are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of how companies can best unlock AI's profit-boosting potential, says Julie Bedard, a Fellow at BCG Henderson Institute. Instead of replacing people with AI, she says, companies should upskill workers with higher-order capabilities and put them in charge of AI tools—which will serve not as coworkers but as human-controlled conduits for better outcomes.      Learn More:  Julie Bedard: https://on.bcg.com/4ofmtYQ [https://on.bcg.com/4ofmtYQ]  AI Is Moving Faster Than Your Workforce Strategy. Are You Ready?: https://on.bcg.com/3LeAEi6 [https://on.bcg.com/3LeAEi6]  BCG’s Latest Thinking on People Strategy: https://on.bcg.com/4oaJmMU [https://on.bcg.com/4oaJmMU]  BCG on GenAI: https://on.bcg.com/4oJKqYd [https://on.bcg.com/4oJKqYd]  BCG Henderson Institute’s Latest Insights: https://on.bcg.com/3WZhwHu [https://on.bcg.com/3WZhwHu]  Chapters 00:00-02:04 The scenario: Does placing AI on equal footing with humans limit its potential?  02:05-02:51 Will companies become more profitable by replacing humans with AI?  02:52-03:59 Where will AI replace humans?  04:00-04:56 AI as a tool  04:57-06:10 What skills will be needed to succeed?  06:11-07:32 Who will need to be upskilled?  07:33-08:31 What happens to corporate hierarchy?   08:32-09:58 How can companies use AI holistically?  09:59-12:01 What does AI mean for mature workers?  12:02-14:16 How can the education system prepare?  14:17-14:56 Bill and GENE teaser  14:57-18:50 How to build a talent strategy  18:51-21:33 The role of the CPO  21:34-22:53 Is AI a coworker?  22:54-24:06 What happens to mentorship?  24:07-27:34 How companies can approach fear surrounding AI 27:35-29:07 How companies might approach AI in the future  29:08-30:20 What could disrupt this future?  30:21-31:43 No regret moves for CEOs  31:44-33:49 Bill and GENE: How to introduce AI agents to your team  33:50-34:33 Outro  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Will You Buy a Car from a Chatbot?

Sponsored and boosted content is a reality of web searches these days, making it harder for consumers to find agnostic product recommendations. Consumers who want to cut to the chase will increasingly use LLMs. Chatbots can quickly comb the web to help consumers research products and serve up recommendations that fit personal needs and tastes. BCG’s Andrej Levin explores how consumers will use LLMs to transform the car buying experience and how CEOs across industries can position their companies to thrive in this burgeoning AI-enabled consumer journey.    Learn More:  Andrej Levin: https://on.bcg.com/4nSUluo [https://on.bcg.com/4nSUluo]  BGC’s Latest Thinking on Automotive: https://on.bcg.com/4mYjenj [https://on.bcg.com/4mYjenj]  Will AI Become the Best Car Sales Advisor?: https://on.bcg.com/46Na1cy [https://on.bcg.com/46Na1cy] Chapters  00:00-02:38 The scenario: AI reinvents how consumers shop  02:39-04:00 How are people already shopping for cars with AI?  04:01-05:20 How will information reach consumers using LLMs to buy cars?  05:21-08:04 Who controls the information LLMs access?  08:05-09:41 What happens to brands that lag behind?  09:42-11:07 What happens to customer loyalty?  11:08-13:12 How can auto manufacturers approach regional differences?  13:13-14:23 How will LLMs merge with the web and traditional search?  14:24-17:18 Will your car sensors help serve up recommendations?  17:19-19:43 How can AI improve financing in car buying?  19:44-20:15 Bill and GENE teaser  20:16-22:38 How can AI assist with everyday purchases?  22:39-24:53 Can retail shopping experiences compete with LLMs?  24:54-26:00 Will mass market brands break down?  26:01-27:32 Who will be in control of consumers’ data?  27:33-29:20 Will sponsored content find its way to chatbots?  29:21-31:46 How can business leaders ensure their product shows up in LLMs?  31:47-32:33 What could disrupt this future?  32:34-33:34 What no-regret move could CEOs make now to prepare?  33:35-36:36 Bill and GENE: How to become visible in LLM search  36:37-37:20 Outro This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

How Will AI Revamp Marketing—and the Role of CMOs?

AI is creating greater customer personalization, but a far more fundamental change is coming. Over the next decade, it will break down silos across organizations and give CMOs always-on access to better, deeper, and far more comprehensive information. In this episode, BCG’s Janet Balis explores how this will fundamentally change CMOs’ decision making. They will no longer focus exclusively on marketing campaigns; rather, they’ll broaden their oversight to delivering business outcomes—and they’ll do it by leading a holistic, company-wide transformation.    Learn More:  Janet Balis: https://on.bcg.com/46NNawp [https://on.bcg.com/46NNawp]  BCG’s Latest Thinking on Marketing and Sales: https://on.bcg.com/4pJwe2u [https://on.bcg.com/4pJwe2u]  BCG on the Media and Entertainment Industry: https://on.bcg.com/4mBDECp [https://on.bcg.com/4mBDECp]  Chapters:  00:00-02:14 The scenario: AI in marketing  02:15-03:59 How are marketing departments currently using AI?  04:00-05:36 How can AI drive personalization?  05:37-08:10 How will companies use AI to create content?  08:11-11:35 How will AI change the way the C-suite makes decisions?  11:36-13:32 Who owns the customer experience in the future?  13:33-15:15 Should the CMO lead AI transformations?  15:15-15:43 Break  15:43-19:35 How will AI change the way data is presented?  19:36-21:23 What cultural and structural changes are holding companies back?  21:24-23:06 What skills will be needed to succeed in the future?  23:07-24:47 Will companies need to rethink incentives?  24:48-26:23 What can CEOs do today to prepare?  26:24-29:49 Bill and GENE: Creating a vibe marketing campaign  29:50-30:33 Outro  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

AI Agents and the 'Everywhere All at Once' Sales Team

Too often, a company’s sales strategy is limited by finite resources. Even the largest multinational corporations have to make tough decisions about where to deploy their sales teams. But as they grow more sophisticated, AI agents are expected to be capable of reaching and interacting with not only your largest and most valuable clients and customers, but also small businesses most sales teams simply didn’t have the bandwidth to engage before. BCG’s Phillip Andersen examines the potential of AI-driven sales teams and imagines how AI-agents might even negotiate simple transactions with each other.    Learn More:  Phillip Andersen: https://on.bcg.com/46plrlt [https://on.bcg.com/46plrlt]  BCG’s Latest Thinking on Marketing and Sales: https://on.bcg.com/47L7ZKR [https://on.bcg.com/47L7ZKR]  A Bold AI Ambition for B2B Marketing, Sales, and Service: https://on.bcg.com/3VVCNBi [https://on.bcg.com/3VVCNBi]  How to Accelerate the GenAI Revolution in Sales: http://on.bcg.com/42zfEZb [http://on.bcg.com/42zfEZb]  Chapters:  00:00-02:13The scenario: AI sales agents of the future  02:14-03:02 How do sales teams currently prioritize where to put their resources?  03:03-03:46 How are most sales teams using AI right now  03:47- 06:09 What have we learned from AI already being used in customer service?  06:10-08:40 What doors will AI agents open for sales teams that are currently closed to them?  08:41- 11:08 What would AI outreach look like in the future?  11:09-12:56 What is the role of humans when AI agents are making deals?  12:57-13:24 Short break  13:25-16:13 How to use AI agents to build relationships with valued clients  16:14- 17:47 Who owns the “redline”?  17:48-19:43 How will junior members of the team grow their skills?  19:44-22:16 How can AI help junior members grow their skills?  22:17-23:38 What kind of skills will humans need to succeed when they're augmented by AI agents?  23:39-25:47 What will it look like when two AI agents interact with each other?  25:48-27:50 How will AI agents gained trust of customers?  27:51-29:25 What could disrupt this path to the future?  29:26-31:45 No regret moves for CEOs  31:46-35:23 Bill and GENE: A hypothetical conversation between two AI agents.  35:24-36:08 Outro  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp