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The So What from BCG: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Boston Consulting Group BCG
This podcast from Boston Consulting Group looks around the corner of today’s big business and social issues. The goal–the so what–is to make sense of today and prepare busy leaders and executives for the day after tomorrow. Award-winning British journalist Georgie Frost interviews the leading thinkers and doers at BCG on the trends, developments, and ideas that will shape and disrupt the future. This is not your typical business strategy podcast.
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- 1 weeks ago19 min
Will AI Agents Replace Your CRM?
Bryan Gauch, Leader of BCG’s Commercial Tech Topic, explains why CRM isn’t disappearing even as agentic AI reshapes how customers are served. He argues that CRM will keep serving as the data backbone while agents take over the interface. He also lays out the cost and resourcing questions CEOs need to answer before scaling their AI investment.You’ll Learn:Why agents are quietly replacing the screen, not the system, behind every customer interaction.Why cost is the real constraint on agentic AI, not the technology itself.How CEOs should align cost, resources, and innovation before deciding what CRM keeps and what agents take over.Learn MoreBCG and Salesforce: https://on.bcg.com/4zTgNKlBCG’s Latest Thinking on Marketing and Sales: https://on.bcg.com/4zVIMsPChapters What Does CRM Actually Do? What CRM Means for Customers Could AI Agents Replace CRM Entirely? The Real Cost of Agents ROI of AI Agents How Will Agents Impact Employees? Where CRM Is Headed in 3 Years How Should CEOs Approach CRM? What Role Will Consultants Play?Meet the ExpertBryan Gauch, BCG Managing Director & Partner: https://on.bcg.com/4iI7fLVListen to Other Episodes of The So What from BCG podcastYouTube | https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0&si=plXqe7-YNzbG56U8Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-so-what-from-bcg/id1591194141Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/2NSVR7qrAyZ4CaGsnknbBk?si=1d846c2af8784923Other platforms | https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show12Follow BCGhttps://www.bcg.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-groupThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- 3 weeks ago19 min
AI Costs a Fortune. Mismanaging AI Will Cost You More.
Vlad Lukic, BCG’s global leader for tech and digital advantage, and Paul Goydan, global leader of BCG’s cost offer, explain why so many companies spend more on AI than they get back. What is the fix? They argue it isn’t simply cutting AI spend, but assigning clear ownership, categorizing costs correctly, and tying every dollar to a business outcome.You’ll Learn:Business owners, not IT, should be accountable for AI’s return, like any other investment.Many companies give routine tasks to their most powerful and expensive AI models, when a simpler tool could do the job.Instead of focusing on banning unauthorized AI tools, leaders should turn towards educating employees on sanctioned options.Learn More:How Leaders Build an AI-First Cost Advantage: https://on.bcg.com/4c3KrSWWhy We Still Need a CIO in the AI-First Era: https://on.bcg.com/46bBbIVChapters0:00 AI's Bottom-Line Problem1:01 Why Your AI Costs Don't Add Up2:16 Can Promoting AI Use Promote Waste?4:02 Are AI Costs an IT Problem?4:48 How to Prioritize AI Spend6:18 How Do CEOs Pay for AI?7:14 How to Categorize AI Costs?8:02 Who Owns the AI Budget?8:30 How Leaders Know AI Is Paying Off10:50 Strategy vs. FOMO13:49 Turning FOMO Into Action14:27 Winners in the AI Era16:28 Handling Hidden AI Risk18:05 Now What: Next StepsListen to Other Episodes of The So What from BCG podcastYouTube | https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0&si=plXqe7-YNzbG56U8Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-so-what-from-bcg/id1591194141Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/2NSVR7qrAyZ4CaGsnknbBk?si=1d846c2af8784923Other platforms | https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show12Follow BCGhttps://www.bcg.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-groupThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Aug 12, 202624 min
Is Your AI Rollout Built to Fail?
Kristy Ellmer and Julia Dhar, co-authors of How Change Really Works and founders of BCG’s Behavioral Science Lab, explain why so many transformations fail and what the science says separates success from failure. They break down the “messy middle,” why people resist being changed rather than change itself, and how giving employees real agency turns resistance into momentum.What You’ll Learn:Why “false alignment” among leaders, not resistance from employees, derails most transformations before they start.Why giving employees real ownership, not just participation, turns resistance into momentum.What makes AI transformations distinct from other kinds of organizational changeLearn More:Read How Change Really Works: https://on.bcg.com/3SpBPzdYour AI Change Is Actually a People Change: https://on.bcg.com/3RKUp4JThe False Alignment Trap: https://on.bcg.com/45R9ULHCEOs Are Betting Big on AI Transformations. Science Is How They Win: https://on.bcg.com/4bGy1jGWe Found the Real Reason 70% of Transformations Fail: https://on.bcg.com/4xqmOMqChapters What Is Transformation? Why Leaders Need a New Playbook for Change Where Do Most Transformations Fail? What Does the “Messy Middle” Look Like? What Makes AI Transformations Different? Where Is the "End Point" in an AI Transformation? Why “Just Get on the Bus” Isn’t Good Advice for AI Change When to Walk Away from a Change Effort What Should Leaders Do When Momentum Fades? Why Giving Employees Ownership Matters What Should Leaders Do in the “Messy Middle”? How Do You Make Change Successful?Meet the Experts Kristy Ellmer: https://on.bcg.com/4xvpgBgCo-Author, How Change Really WorksBCG Managing Director & PartnerNorth American Leader, BCG’s Transform PracticeCo-Founder, BCG’s Behavioral Science Lab:https://on.bcg.com/4z9WhVsJulia Dhar: https://on.bcg.com/45ec8VjCo-Author, How Change Really WorksBCG Managing Director & PartnerNorth American Leader, People and Organization PracticeCo-Founder, BCG’s Behavioral Science Lab: https://on.bcg.com/4z9WhVsListen to Other Episodes of The So What from BCG podcastYouTube | https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0&si=plXqe7-YNzbG56U8Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-so-what-from-bcg/id1591194141Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/2NSVR7qrAyZ4CaGsnknbBk?si=1d846c2af8784923Other platforms | https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show12Follow BCGhttps://www.bcg.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-groupThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Jul 29, 202616 min
Retailers Are Drowning in Data. Is AI a Life Preserver?
Nick Goad, BCG's global co-leader for retail merchandising, argues that retail's biggest problem isn't a lack of data, it's the gap between data and real customer understanding. He explains how AI and large language models are finally bridging that divide, making it possible to localize assortment, sharpen pricing, and accelerate product innovation at scale. For leaders wondering where to start, he makes the case for codifying the knowledge already in merchants' heads.What You’ll Learn:Retailers have more data than ever, but AI finally gives them the tools to turn it into action merchants can actually trust.The biggest near-term opportunities are in assortment localization, smarter pricing, and AI-accelerated product innovation.The new data advantage for retailers isn't raw data — it's codifying the knowledge already in their merchants' heads.Learn More:BCG’s Latest Thinking on the Retail Industry: https://on.bcg.com/4bYoe8xMerch AI by BCGX: https://on.bcg.com/3RxTfJFChapters Has Retail Lost Its Personal Touch? Serving Customers Before the Digital Age The Internet’s Impact on Retail Does More Data Mean Better Customer Understanding? Why Are Retailers Drowning in Complexity? What Can AI Do to Help Retailers? Will AI Create a New Data Overload? What Are Retail Leaders Hopes and Fears for AI? Will AI Get Products to the Shelf Faster? Will AI Influence Product Design? Can AI Create More Personalized Loyalty Programs? How Will AI Shape the Shopping Experience? Is Physical Retail Here to Stay? Will AI Make All Our Shopping Decisions for Us? Where Can Retailers Make the Biggest Changes? Where Should Retailers Apply AI First? What New Data Advantage Can AI Create?Meet the Expert:Nick Goad, BCG Managing Director & Senior Partner: https://on.bcg.com/4wuIlU0Listen to Other Episodes of The So What from BCG podcastPunch Cards, Frequent Flyers, and the Future of Loyalty: https://lnk.to/so-what-BCG-Crouch-Loyalty09YouTube | https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0&si=plXqe7-YNzbG56U8Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-so-what-from-bcg/id1591194141Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/2NSVR7qrAyZ4CaGsnknbBk?si=1d846c2af8784923Other platforms | https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show12Follow BCGhttps://www.bcg.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-groupThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Jul 15, 202621 min
LLM or MD: Who Owns the Patient Journey?
Ben Keneally, BCG’s Asia Pacific health care services leader, explains why AI is now many patients’ first stop — often before they see a doctor. He argues that pairing AI with personal health records improves outcomes and equity, and that health leaders, not LLMs, must shape how this shift unfolds.You’ll Learn:Why AI is becoming the default first step in care, especially in markets with limited access to cliniciansHow pairing AI with personal health records improves treatment compliance and catches errors earlierWhy driving AI into end-to-end care pathways takes leadership, not just frontline experimentationLearn More:BCG’s Latest Thinking on the Health Care Industry: https://on.bcg.com/4w2MmPtConsumers Are Ready for AI-Enabled Health Care. Health Systems Need to Be, Too.: https://on.bcg.com/4vo2ZDXChapters The Biggest Health Care Shift in Centuries How Is AI Being Used in Health Care Today? Where Is AI Adoption Highest, and What Does That Tell Us? Does AI Create a Two-Tier Health System? What's Next for AI Agents? Where Are the Biggest Opportunities: Diagnosis, Navigation, or Appointments? The Health Care System AI Could Build Does Your Health System Need Its Own AI? The Danger of Inaccurate Health Advice What Role Does Trust Play? How Are Health Care Organizations Shaping This Shift Today? AI Alone Won't Transform Health Care Who Is Responsible When AI Gets Health Care Wrong? Who Owns the Patient Relationship? Is the Shift to AI in Health Care Inevitable? Is It AI Plus Clinicians or AI Replacing Clinicians?Meet the ExpertBen Keneally, BCG Managing Director & Partner: https://on.bcg.com/4woTTbcListen to Other Episodes of The So What from BCG podcastYouTube | https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0&si=plXqe7-YNzbG56U8Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-so-what-from-bcg/id1591194141Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/2NSVR7qrAyZ4CaGsnknbBk?si=1d846c2af8784923Other platforms | https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show12Follow BCGhttps://www.bcg.com/LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/boston-consulting-groupThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Jul 1, 202621 min
AI Is Ready for Government. Is Government Ready?
Governments are racing to deploy AI. Most have the foundations, but struggle to translate them into faster, smarter execution without losing public trust. BCG's Miguel Carrasco and Daniel Selikowitz break down what separates the countries getting this right from those still stuck — and what every leader can take from their example.You’ll Learn:Why AI governance frameworks are quietly becoming the biggest barrier to AI deploymentHow to tell the difference between necessary caution and unnecessary bureaucracyHow and why some countries are already getting AI governance rightLearn More:Trust Imperative 5.0: https://on.bcg.com/3QO3fOmBCG’s Latest Thinking in Public Sector: https://on.bcg.com/4f69kisMeet the ExpertsMiguel Carrasco, BCG Managing Director & Senior Partner: https://on.bcg.com/4gGH8UzDaniel Selikowitz, Managing Director & Partner: https://on.bcg.com/4oMRKTYWatch The So What from BCG on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0Chapters AI Is Already in Government. Here's Where You'll Find It. Public vs. Private: Why the Stakes Are Different What Leaders Are Saying Across Industries What Role Does Fear Play in AI Adoption? Inside Governments Deploying AI How Are Governments Governing AI? How Do Countries Compare on AI Adoption? Useful Caution Vs. Unnecessary Bureaucracy in AI Implementation Who Is Keeping Pace with AI Innovation? What Private Sector Leaders Can Learn from Governments What Should Leaders Do Now?This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Jun 17, 202620 min
Industry 4.0 Moves to the Great Outdoors
Industry 4.0 is moving beyond factory walls and into farms, forests, and fields.David Potere, a senior tech leader in BCG’s Industrial Goods and Climate Change and Sustainability practices, explores AI’s move into the outdoor world. Robotics and connected systems are changing how farming and other outdoor activities get done.You’ll Learn:Outdoor automation requires AI systems that can operate with constant uncertainty.Leaders should rethink long-held operating models as AI and robotics reshape how physical work gets done.The most valuable AI systems may be the ones that simplify complexity rather than add more dashboards.Learn More:David Potere: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpotere/What 1,000 Farmers Told Us About Tech Adoption: https://on.bcg.com/4euA76VClimate-Smart Agriculture Needs a Better Yardstick: https://on.bcg.com/4ejIfH6David on the Climate Rising Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/david-potere-at-bcg-x-using-ai-satellites-in-climate/id1482781075?i=1000767537614AI Foundation Model for Extreme Weather: https://on.bcg.com/4vKiwyzChapters00:00 – How Will AI Impact Outdoor Industries?04:26 –The Challenges of Taking Tech Outside06:11– What Would a Farm That Thinks for Itself Look Like?08:27 – Is AI Rescuing Agriculture?10:55– Will AI Only Help Big Farms?14:39 – Who Owns the Data?16:16 – What Can Leaders Learn from the AI Outdoors?18:51 – Next Steps to Truly Benefit from AIThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Jun 3, 202622 min
Why Doomsayers Are Wrong About AI Job Loss
AI isn’t replacing jobs the way headlines suggest, but it is changing who keeps them.Greg Emerson, BCG’s global leader of technology and AI investing, explains why AI will reshape three to four times more jobs than it replaces. He argues that fears of mass unemployment are overblown and the real challenge for leaders is redesigning roles, workflows, and mindsets.You’ll Learn:The real risk: workers who don’t adopt AI will be replaced by those who do.How top performers will get more work, not less.Why leaders must move beyond tool adoption and fully reshape how work gets done.Learn More:Greg Emerson: https://on.bcg.com/43yhARMAI Will Reshape More Jobs Than It Replaces: https://on.bcg.com/4uxhTs5BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/4wWwHC9Latest Thinking from the BCG Institute: https://on.bcg.com/4fdjG0IWatch The So What on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0Chapters AI Panic vs Reality Is AI Replacement Imminent? Where Are the Mass Unemployment Headlines Coming From? Are AI Layoffs Really About AI? AI Will Reshape More Jobs Than It Replaces AI Is Creating More Work, Not Less The Difference Between Replacing Jobs & Replacing People The “Soft Resistance” Problem Inside Companies The Biggest Career Risk Right Now Why Businesses Struggle to Deliver AI ROI The AI Adoption Trap The AI Mindset Every Leader NeedsThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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About The So What from BCG
This podcast from Boston Consulting Group looks around the corner of today’s big business and social issues. The goal–the so what–is to make sense of today and prepare busy leaders and executives for the day after tomorrow. Award-winning British journalist Georgie Frost interviews the leading thinkers and doers at BCG on the trends, developments, and ideas that will shape and disrupt the future. This is not your typical business strategy podcast.
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