What McKinsey Says About AI‑Driven Operational Rewire in 2026

2025 Review: Productivity and Resilience

In 2025 companies faced unprecedented volatility—inflation, tariffs, shifting trade policies, and geopolitical risks. Leading firms pursued higher productivity while strengthening resilience, using digitalization and AI‑enabled business models to grow without adding resources. Manufacturing firms adopted leaner, more efficient operations to reduce labor dependence.

2026 Three Core Tasks: Rewire, Accelerate Decisions, Resilient Growth

The report identifies three critical objectives for 2026: rewiring operational processes , accelerating technology‑enabled decision making , and building resilience to drive growth . Productivity remains paramount, demanding new technologies to meet heightened performance expectations.

Automation, Robotics, and AI Across the Value Chain

Physical automation—robots and humanoids—continues to drop in cost and scale rapidly. In non‑physical areas such as planning, procurement, and call centers, AI offers a "once‑in‑a‑generation" opportunity, emphasizing end‑to‑end process redesign rather than isolated pilots. Service sectors (banking, insurance, telecom) lead with generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and agentic workforces, while industrial manufacturers begin using AI to up‑skill employees for flexible role switching.

Regional Differences: China vs. United States Tech Affinity

Global opportunities are similar, but implementation varies by region. China’s electric‑vehicle ecosystem benefits from a fully digitalized toolchain without legacy constraints, whereas many European firms still rely on fragmented tools and legacy systems. Both China and the United States exhibit higher technology affinity than other regions.

Technology Evolution: From LLMs to Agentic Systems

About a year ago the focus was on LLMs; today agentic systems dominate the conversation. The advice is to start with the core business problem, then assemble a full technology stack—industrial‑grade solutions, custom builds, or best‑of‑breed robots and LLM providers—to integrate strategically. Employee capability remains essential: shop‑floor workers must collaborate with robots and manufacturing execution systems (MES), while planners need variable‑judgment and problem‑solving skills.

European Catch‑up and Global Call to Action

Europe’s digital transformation lags behind its past prosperity. Only 10‑15% of factories experimented with AI in 2018, yet over 80% of leading plants now deploy generative AI, with about 5% achieving fully autonomous robot operations. Despite the gap, significant optimization potential remains, especially given demographic shifts and skill shortages.

2026: The Year of Rewiring – Opportunities Outweigh Challenges

Both Dan Swan and Ruth Heuss are optimistic: the convergence of productivity demand, growth pressure, and supply‑chain uncertainty creates a once‑in‑a‑generation transformation chance. Companies should treat rewiring as a scalable transformation, integrating technology, processes, and people capabilities holistically. COOs and supply‑chain leaders will be especially busy, but this period offers a golden window to generate unique value.