Technology priorities for 2025, gen AI for beauty brands, how companies can benefit more people, and more: The Weekend Read

McKinsey & Company

The Weekend Read

CURATED PICKS FOR YOUR DOWNTIME, FROM OUR EDITORS

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Brought to you by Alex Panas, global leader of industries, & Axel Karlsson, global leader of functional practices and growth platforms

Welcome to the latest edition of The Weekend Read. We hope you find our perspectives useful. Let us know what you think at Alex_Panas@McKinsey.com and Axel_Karlsson@McKinsey.com.

—Alex and Axel

Happy New Year! As we ease into 2025, get caught up on the week’s big insights on technology priorities for 2025, gen AI for beauty brands, how companies can benefit more people, and more.

An image linking to the web page “New Year’s resolutions for tech in 2025” on McKinsey.com

What’s in store for technology in 2025? McKinsey’s technology leaders offer their insights on important technology priorities leaders should keep in mind this year.

Navigate the trends

An image linking to the web page “How beauty players can scale gen AI in 2025” on McKinsey.com

Gen AI could add $9 billion to $10 billion to the global economy based on its impact on the beauty industry alone. Kristi Weaver and coauthors explore how beauty players can successfully deploy gen AI at scale.

An image linking to the web page “Economic empowerment made-to-measure: How companies can benefit more people” on McKinsey.com

The ‘empowerment line’ measures progress toward a world where everyone’s essential needs are met. Connections, contexts, and capabilities can guide corporate efforts to create empowerment impact efficiently, according to Kweilin Ellingrud, Marco Piccitto , and coauthors.

Their role is critical

An image linking to the web page “How healthcare entities can use M&A to build and scale new businesses” on McKinsey.com

Neil Rao and coauthors discuss transact-to-build M&A—the programmatic acquisition and scaling of assets with differentiated capabilities—in healthcare, and six actions that could help organizations realize value from these deals.

6 actions for success

Ready to unwind?

An image linking to the web page “McKinsey and the World Economic Forum 2025” on McKinsey.com.

Introducing McKinsey’s Davos Daily

Focusing on key themes of the WEF Annual Meeting, this limited-run email series helps make sense of today’s most pressing global challenges. Get a carefully curated roundup of McKinsey insights daily for eight days, starting January 18.

An image linking to the web page “Young Global Leaders on Davos 2025” on McKinsey.com

Young Global Leaders on Davos 2025

The World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders, current and alumni, share their thoughts on issues they believe should get much more attention in Davos but might not amid a plethora of business topics.

Get perspective

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60-Across: Shirts-and-skins competitions ... and what the four theme answers in this puzzle do

Know the answer? Test yourself with the latest McKinsey Crossword: Play Time | No. 214

Play the game

—Edited by Joyce Yoo, editor, New York

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