Sustainability reporting has become widespread among large firms, but strong disclosure does not necessarily translate into preparedness for climate-related risks. This research identifies a
AI agents are changing the nature of customer relationships by taking on more of the discovery, comparison, negotiation, and purchasing decisions that companies once controlled through their own
On September 8, 2026, Meta launched Muse, a personal AI agent designed to act on a user’s behalf: filling out forms, negotiating, booking travel, and making purchases. Twelve days later, Amazon blocked Muse from shopping on its site, arguing that third-party agents should identify themselves and obtain a retailer’s permission before transacting on behalf of its customers.
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AI isn’t simply replacing sales work or automatically equalizing sales performance; it’s providing disproportionate lift to individuals and organizations that can build systems around
Generative AI has produced two competing views about which workers will benefit most. One view is that AI will narrow performance gaps by giving lower performers templates, answers, and coaching directly in their workflow. The other is that AI will widen those gaps by eliminating routine but necessary work, which will allow top performers to spend more time on higher-value activities where they already have an advantage. At the individual task level, high and low performers may both benefit, but the more important question is which effect dominates on net in real jobs, where workers perform bundles of activities. The answer matters for how firms hire, train, organize teams, and adjust practices built for their current talent mix.
Corporate sustainability may have fallen out of favor in some executive and political circles, but the business case remains strong: Companies continue to invest because sustainability
Corporate sustainability appears to be in a bit of a slump. ESG has become a political liability, sustainability teams are shrinking, and many executives have shifted their attention to AI, economic uncertainty, and regulatory fragmentation.
Many leadership teams struggle not with too much conflict, but too little: Executives avoid challenging one another, leaving important ideas and decisions insufficiently
During my 25 years as an advisor to senior teams, I’ve seen a lot of coaching and advice focused on how to manage leadership team conflict. But in my experience, the bigger challenge can be getting executives to raise dissenting ideas and to then critique those rigorously. Too often I see executive teams rush along in a state of passive peace because they value respect, trust peers to manage their own silos, and fear that stepping out of their “lane” will make them seem unhelpful or slow things down.