The Shortlist: Gen AI: The new code maker

Curated by Liz Hilton Segel, chief client officer and managing partner, global industry practices, & Homayoun Hatami, managing partner, global client capabilities

Twice monthly, we bring you four new insights out of the dozens we publish that we think are worth a second glance from CEOs and business leaders in any geography. In this edition, we look at generative AI and software development, how to make the best of the tech talent turmoil, and more. We hope you enjoy the read.

—Liz and Homayoun

An image linking to the web page “Unleashing developer productivity with generative AI” on McKinsey.com.

What’s new

README.txt. In our view, every company is now a software company. That’s one reason that gen AI is so important: software development is one of the four biggest opportunities for companies to become more efficient. Now, our latest research shows just how gen AI can tag team with your company’s developers to improve each of their core tasks.

Want better code, faster? Download Unleashing developer productivity with generative AI, by Begum Karaci Deniz, Martin Harrysson , Alharith Hussain, and Shivam Srivastava .

An image linking to the web page “HR rewired: An end-to-end approach to attracting and retaining top tech talent” on McKinsey.com.

What’s now

Matchmaker, matchmaker. If you’ve been on LinkedIn lately, you know the recent volatility in tech talent has been stressful for many. There’s a silver lining though: the potential matchup between newly unattached tech talent and traditional organizations in need of a reboot. This calls for an end-to-end approach to HR that keeps the needs of tech talent front and center, from recruiting to retaining.

Find your tech stars with HR rewired: An end-to-end approach to attracting and retaining top tech talent, by Vincent Bérubé , Dana Maor , Maria Ocampo, and Alex Sukharevsky .

An image linking to the web page “‘In the face of volatility, CFOs—and their organizations—adapt’’” on McKinsey.com.

What’s next

Steady as she goes. CFOs are figuring out how to steer their companies through the latest disturbances. In our most recent survey, the people at the financial helm shared their thoughts on how to judge the economic winds and tides.

Calibrate your compass with In the face of volatility, CFOs—and their organizations—adapt, by Ankur Agrawal , Christian Grube, and Jorge Herranz Bayo.

An image linking to the web page “The Gen Z equation” on McKinsey.com.

What’s needed

Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z: plus ça change . . . By 2025, Gen Z may make up a quarter of the global workforce. To prepare for the incoming class, organizations need to come to grips with what makes Gen Zers tick. Here’s a tip: despite the TikTok of it all, for the most part, young people value respect, well-being, and, yes, compensation—just like their older counterparts.

For Gen Z 101 (and all the further reading you need to graduate), read The Gen Z equation, the latest edition of the McKinsey Quarterly Five Fifty.

We hope you find this synthesis helpful. See you in two weeks with four more ideas from McKinsey.

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