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Business research is an essential aspect of the modern corporate world. The ability to understand the latest trends, consumer behavior, and market dynamics is crucial for any firm looking to stay competitive. With this in mind, we've compiled a list of 250 business research topics that can serve as an inspiration for your next paper. From the impact of technology on the workforce to the rise of sustainable firm practices, these research topics in business cover a wide range of subjects that are relevant to today's business climate. Whether you're a student or a researcher, this list of topics related to business is sure to provide you with ideas for your next work or thesis. Stay with our business essay writing service to discover amazing ideas.

What Are Business Research Topics?

Business research topics are areas of study that pertain to the various aspects of running an organization, such as marketing, management, finance, as well as operations. These topics can cover a wide range of subjects. They also focus on specific industries or geographic regions. Business related topics can be studied using various methods, such as quantitative or qualitative ones.It is important to note that business topics for a research paper are frequently evolving and adapting to the current business environment, which makes them very dynamic. As a crucial part of the corporate world, they provide insights and understanding of various aspects of such an environment. These insights can help firms make informed decisions, develop new strategies, and stay competitive in the marketplace.

Characteristics of Good Business Research Topics

There are several characteristics that make business research paper topics good. Here are a few examples:

• Relevance The chosen topic should be relevant to the present business environment. Therefore, it seeks to solve issues that are essential to both researchers and practitioners.
• Feasibility Good research topics in business should be feasible to research. It means that there are readily available resources and information necessary for the project.
• Significance: the topic should have practical implications for practitioners and companies.
• Clarity It must be specific and clearly defined.
• Originality It should contribute new perspectives or insights to the existing body of knowledge.

All of these characteristics together will make a good research topic, one that is valuable, informative, and useful for the corporate industry.

How to Choose a Business Topic for Research?

When writing your research, you should get your foundation right, which starts with choosing a good business related topic. Here are the steps you can use to select a business topic for research:

• Identify your research area Find out the broad area of enterprise that you want to focus on.
• Review the literature Conduct a literature review to identify current research trends, gaps, and issues in your chosen area.
• Narrow down your focus Based on the literature review, narrow down your focus to a specific topic that is relevant, feasible, and original.
• Assess feasibility Consider the time frame, resources, and data availability for the topic. Make sure that you have access to the necessary data and materials to conduct the research.
• Finalize the topic Choose a topic that aligns with your interests and that you are passionate about. This will make the research process more enjoyable.
• Consult with experts Seek advice from professionals in the field to get feedback on your topic and to make sure that it is relevant.

Business Research Topics List

A well-curated business research paper topics list can help researchers identify current trends, gaps in the literature, and emerging issues in the field. Here are some top business topics that are very useful.

• How sustainable business practices affect a company’s financial performance.
• Blockchain technology’s role in business.
• Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on global supply chain management.
• Impact of fintech on traditional financial institutions.
• How digital transformation affects organizational culture.
• Consequences of social media marketing for customer engagement.
• Data analytics’ role in company performance and decision-making.
• Impact of the gig economy on traditional employment model.
• Abuse experienced by women in the workplace.
• Revolution of firm operations and strategy due to artificial intelligence.

Interesting Business Topics for a Research Paper

We’ve compiled an interesting business topic list that can be helpful in your work. Before choosing research topics on business, you should understand the requirements, then select one that matches your interest from the list below.

• Growth in tourism and its impact on the economy.
• Limitations of global sanctions.
• Determinants of consumer behavior.
• Current changes in global labor unions.
• History of economic thoughts.
• Exploring trade embargo.
• Comparative analysis of property rights.
• Ways to maximize product profits.
• Differences between tax bracket rates and fixed tax rate.
• Factors to consider when choosing countries to invest in.
• Relevant leadership styles for family-owned organizations.
• Ways in which an organization can enter a foreign market.
• Challenges of remote employment.
• Advantages of franchising for the franchisee.
• Languages used in international ventures.

These are just a few examples of the many topics that can be explored through research. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence organizational performance and to develop strategies for addressing any challenges that arise.

Easy Business Research Paper Topics

Business research is an important aspect of understanding various factors that drive organizational success. However, some business research topics can be complex and time-consuming to investigate. Here are 15 great research paper business topics that may be researched quickly.

• Storytelling’s role in marketing.
• Impact of online communication tools on team productivity.
• COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on consumer buying behavior.
• How virtual meetings enhance team collaboration.
• Workplace diversity and employee satisfaction.
• Telecommunications effects on employee morale.
• Artificial intelligence’s role in personalization of marketing efforts.
• Impact of gamification on employee training.
• Green initiative’s impact on customer loyalty.
• How branding affects consumer purchasing power.
• How does mobile technology enhance customer service?
• Customer reviews’ role in enhancing online sales.
• How digital marketing drives sales for small businesses.
• Importance of flexible working hours for employee productivity.
• Characteristics of monopolistic markets.

>> View more: Marketing Research Topics

Unique Business Research Topics

Business paper topics listed below are unique and challenging in the sense that they offer new perspectives and angles on the research, and they are not widely studied. It's also important to note that this category of research topic about business can cover ideas in any sector related to corporate world.

• Virtual reality’s role in enhancing customer experience in luxury retail.
• Artificial intelligence and human resources recruitment.
• Using virtual and augmented reality in real estate.
• LMS software for small businesses .
• Greenwashing’s effect on consumer purchasing behavior.
• Applying Internet of Things in predictive maintenance.
• Virtual reality’s application in team building.
• How mindfulness practices impact decision-making and productivity.
• Application of augmented reality in e-commerce and retail.
• Using blockchain technology in supply chain management.
• Barriers to entering monopolistic markets.
• How chatbots lead to employee satisfaction.
• Emotional intelligence’s impact on effectiveness of leadership.
• Impact of AI-generated content on company sales.
• Effective advertising techniques for SMEs.

Popular Business Research Topics

Some business research paper topics are widely popular among researchers as well as practitioners as they are considered to be of current interest and relevance. These topics are popular since they are often studied to understand the current trends and challenges in the industry. Here are 15 popular business related research topics.

• The current political and economic changes in America.
• What causes changes in stock market.
• Machine learning in the HR industry .
• History of global trade.
• Opportunities and challenges of globalization.
• How to be successful in real estate industry.
• How does corporate culture affect organizational performance?
• Current corporate trends in the US.
• Importance of a healthy work environment.
• Ways to increase brand awareness.
• Negotiation’s role in organizational change.
• How SMEs affect the country’s economy.
• Relationship between culture and company performance.
• Initiatives to protect small and medium enterprises.
• COVID-19 effects on economic performance of companies.

Controversial Business Research Topics

There are some research topics related to business that are controversial and can challenge widely held beliefs or societal norms. We’ve created a list of controversial business topic ideas below. You can choose any that interests you.

• Automation’s impact on job displacement.
• Corporate social responsibility’s role in addressing social issues.
• Income inequality’s effects on firm performance.
• Influence of Artificial Intelligence on privacy and ethical concerns.
• Big data’s role in decision-making and potential biases.
• Multinational companies’ impact on developing countries.
• Sharing economy’s consequences on traditional industries and regulations.
• Using blockchain technology in financial privacy and security.
• How companies can be responsible for political lobbying.
• Cannabis industry’s role in Canada’s economic development.
• Ethical implication of AI in corporate world.
• How surveillance affects employee privacy.
• Effects of automation on the future of work.
• Digital currency’s role in financial inclusion.
• Social media’s impact on political polarization.

Business Research Proposal Topics

Whether you are an investor or a customer at a local grocery store, everyone is involved in some form of venture that prompts them to develop business research proposal ideas. Students in different academic levels may also be required to write a proposal before their research. Below are some business proposal topics to research that can help you explore your ideas.

• Reducing workplace stress using virtual reality.
• AI's potential impact on organizations venturing in healthcare.
• How the current digital revolution has affected the corporate world.
• Importance of video surveillance to organizations.
• Potential solutions that private firms can implement to be economically secure.
• Reasons why low self-esteem is detrimental at workplace.
• Small independent organizations: lifelines in a world of giant franchises.
• Solutions to the world's joblessness problem and how to implement them.
• How workers’ motivation affects productivity.
• A social problem: how altering consumer behavior affects retail sales.
• Factors that determine the length of paternity leave given to employees.
• The present-day world's environmental problems and their implications for business management.
• Importance of leadership abilities in maintaining authority.
• A methodical survey of investment approaches in real estate industry.
• Comparing direct marketing with other types of advertisement .

Business Research Paper Topics for Students

Research topic ideas for business students can cover a wide range of areas, including management, marketing, finance, and operations. These themes are meant to be used as inspiration for students to conduct research on the business field and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the assignment. Research paper topics related to business may also be chosen from areas of interest such as customer service, digital marketing, e-commerce, and green business practices.

Business Research Topics for College Students

Business topics for college students provide an opportunity to conduct research and gain a deeper understanding of the various factors that drive organizational success. Here are 15 potential business topics to write about.

• Ways to ensure diversity in the workplace.
• Virtual and augmented reality’s role in enhancing customer experience.
• Effectiveness of various quality leadership styles in different industries.
• Corporate governance’s impact on organizational performance.
• Digitalization and its influence on the news industry.
• Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence in personalization of marketing efforts.
• How virtual teams affect productivity and communication of employees in an organization.
• How does the sharing economy affect traditional industries and regulations?
• Ways in which privacy concerns influence consumer purchase behavior.
• How the Internet of Things impacts supply chain management.
• Digital currency’s role in financial inclusion and inequality.
• Different insurance forms for a company.
• Benefits of personalizing a firm website.
• The future of virtual reality in organizations.
• How greenwashing affects consumer purchasing behavior.

Business Research Topics for MBA Students

Business research project topics cover a wide range of areas and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the assignment or the student's area of interest. These topics are also relevant to the current business environment and can provide MBA students with a chance to explore the various challenges and opportunities that companies face today. Highlighted below is a list of business research paper ideas that you can consider.

• Digitalization’s impact on the financial industry and its regulation.
• Artificial Intelligence’s role in the healthcare industry.
• How corporate social responsibility affects financial performance and reputation.
• E-commerce’s effect on brick-and-mortar retail firms.
• Big data’s role in marketing.
• COVID-19 pandemic on global trade and investment.
• Importance of time management in an organization.
• Using virtual and augmented reality in real estate and construction.
• Digital transformation’s impact on the public sector and government.
• Applying blockchain technology in logistics and transportation.
• What are the sustainable firm practices that an organization should adopt?
• How social media affects consumer behavior and decision-making.
• Digital marketing’s role in the B2B industry.
• Artificial Intelligence’s impact on human resources management.
• The impact of political and economic changes on renewable energy.

Research Topics on Business in Different Fields

Business research topics cover various industries and sectors, including finance, healthcare, marketing, as well as logistics. They can provide insight into the different business challenges and opportunities that different industries face today. Researchers dive deeper into specific fields to understand how business practices and strategies differ, as well as how they can be improved. These research business ideas can also be tailored to match the specific requirements of the assignment or the student's area of interest.

International Business Research Paper Topics

International business topics for research can encompass various aspects of cross-border trade as well as investment, including market entry strategies, cultural differences, and global supply chain management. Listed here are 15 potential research paper topics on international business.

• How cultural differences affect international business negotiations.
• An examination of the challenges and opportunities of international franchising.
• The impact of currency fluctuations on international business performance.
• Different forms of international business ownership.
• Role of international trade agreements and their impact on companies.
• Brexit’s impact on international business .
• Corporate social responsibility and its effect on international business reputation.
• Impact of language barriers on international business communication.
• How international organizations promote sustainable development.
• Most effective market entry strategies for emerging markets.
• Political and economic instability’s role in international trade.
• Role of technology in facilitating cross-border e-commerce.
• Impact of international enterprise on host-country workers.
• Influence of international ventures on environmental sustainability.
• International business’ influence on local cultures and traditions.

Business Law Topics for a Research Paper

Business law research paper topic ideas can encompass various legal issues that organizations face, including contract law, intellectual property law, and corporate governance. Here are 15 potential research paper topics for business law class.

• Effectiveness of different forms of alternative dispute resolution in business disputes.
• Consumer protection laws.
• Challenges and opportunities of cross-border litigation in international business.
• The effects of corporate governance on organizational performance and accountability.
• Securities laws on initial public offerings and capital raising.
• The role of intellectual property law in protecting innovation and creativity in the digital age.
• Challenges and opportunities of merger and acquisition regulation.
• The impact of labor laws on human resources management and recruitment.
• Effectiveness of different forms of corporate social responsibility in addressing social and environmental issues.
• The role of competition law in promoting fair competition and protecting consumer welfare.
• Limitations of international trade law and its impact on firms.
• Data privacy laws on company operations and decision-making.
• Contract law on e-commerce and online business.
• The role of property law in real estate and construction enterprises.
• Limitations and opportunities of corporate governance in family-owned firms.

Research Topics in Business Administration

Business administration research topics can encompass various aspects of organizational management, including leadership, strategy, and operations. They are also relevant to the current business environment and provide an opportunity to explore challenges that companies face in the field of business administration. We’ve compiled a list of business administration topics for a research paper that can be helpful to you.

• Effective leadership styles for different types of organizations.
• The impact of organizational culture on employee engagement and performance.
• Opportunities and limitations of virtual teams and remote work.
• The effects of innovation management on organizational performance.
• Digitalization’s impact on organizational structure and processes.
• The role of project management in driving organizational success.
• Reasons to implement mergers and acquisitions.
• The impact of corporate social responsibility on organizational reputation and brand image.
• Automation and machine learning influence organizational processes and decision-making.
• Human resources management’s role in promoting a healthy and inclusive work environment.
• Limitations of international expansion.
• The impact of data analytics and big data on organizational decision-making and performance.
• Effectiveness of different organizational change management forms.
• Operations management’s role in driving efficiency and productivity.
• Sustainable firm practices and their impact on organizational performance.

Business Management Research Topics

Are you specialized in management and looking for related business management research paper topics? This article lists business report topics below that can be useful to you.

• Applying artificial intelligence in business management.
• Gig economy and its impact on workforce management.
• Innovative Human Resource practices to improve employee resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ways to promote sustainable development in an organization.
• How virtual reality impacts human behavior and well-being.
• The use of technology in strategic management.
• Gender disparity and discrimination in wages.
• Strategies to encourage more women leaders in organizations.
• Team building strategies.
• Connection between labor productivity and salary.
• Enhancing employee retention rate.
• Conflict management in a company.
• Ways to motivate employees.
• Social media’s impact on business.
• How do you ensure diversity in leadership?

These topics cover a wide range of areas and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the assignment or the student's area of interest. They provide insight into the field of business management and can help equip you with necessary skills needed in that study area.

Business Ethics Topics for a Research Paper

Business ethics research paper topics can encompass various issues related to moral and ethical principles in the business world, such as corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and integrity in decision-making. Highlighted below are topics for a business ethics essay or paper that you can consider.

• Corporate social responsibility and consumer trust.
• Forms of corruption in private sector organizations.
• Ways to promote sustainable development.
• Diversity and inclusion policies.
• How corporate governance impacts organizational integrity.
• Forms of whistle-blower protection.
• Organization’s role in addressing social and environmental issues.
• Challenges of implementing a code of conduct.
• Ways to enhance organizational reputation and brand image.
• Different forms of corporate social responsibility reporting.
• Principles of ethical management.
• The impact of ethics on employee engagement and motivation.
• How to address issues of social and environmental justice.
• Business ethics’ impact on the financial performance of a company.
• How do companies address human rights issues?

Business Communication Research Topics

The success of a business depends significantly on the communication between stakeholders. Business communication topics can include different aspects within and between organizations, including cross-cultural, digital, and crisis communication. If you want to study it, here are some business research topics ideas to consider.

• Essential digital tools used in business communication.
• Forms of multimedia communication in organizations.
• Communication’s role in promoting a healthy and inclusive work environment.
• Cross-functional communication in organizations.
• Communication technology’s impact on networking and relationship building.
• Forms of internal communication in different industries.
• How communication promotes transparency and trust.
• Ways of communicating during mergers and acquisitions.
• How communication technology impacts the financial industry .
• Nonverbal communication in firm interactions.
• Using social media in organizational communication.
• Enhancing team dynamics and collaboration through communication.
• Crisis communication in the digital age.
• Language barriers in international organizations.
• Intergenerational communication in the workplace.

>> View more: Communication Research Paper Topics

Business Speech Research Topics

Research topics in business include various aspects of oral communication in the corporate world, such as public speaking, presentations, as well as pitch deliveries. Do you have a speech that you want to deliver related to enterprise and still not sure of the topic to choose? Here are general business research topic ideas you can use.

• Types of corporate crimes you should look out for as our employees.
• Never be afraid of your competitors.
• How to deliberately think and plan for your success.
• Moving your company a generation ahead.
• How to ensure effective leadership in your company.
• How to reward your employees.
• Ways to motivate your employees.
• Encouraging innovation in your firm.
• Why should everyone have a business plan before starting one?
• How we can deal with breach of contract.
• Types of insurance cover we should consider for a company.
• Ways to improve our company’s reputation in public.
• How to write effective business letters.
• Why we should actively participate in corporate social responsibilities.
• How to increase our sales.

Business Debate Research Topics

Business research questions for debate involve various aspects of public discourse as well as arguments in the corporate world, such as ethical dilemmas, industry trends, and policy decisions. These themes can provide an opportunity to explore different perspectives and arguments on a particular issue and to evaluate their strengths as well as weaknesses. Some of the debatable business research project ideas include the following:

• Is investing in stocks like taking a chance on the lottery?
• Do you think cryptocurrencies should power the corporate world?
• Is it true that men account for more successful company owners?
• Do women fare better than men in the corporate world?
• When it comes to commerce, how trustworthy are cryptocurrencies, and how does advertising them increase their customer base?
• Are corporations with a global reach causing more harm than good?
• If a company invests in advertisements, do they see a return on its investment?
• Do jobs in cooperation constitute a new form of slavery?
• Should it be possible to blend politics with corporations?
• Do you think getting an MBA is worth the cost?
• Does technology make people less productive?
• Are companies overlooking the issue of cybersecurity?
• Has the introduction of emails improved communication within companies?
• Is artificial intelligence bad for the corporate world?
• Unlike theft, infringing on copyright does not deprive the victim of the original product.

>> Read more: Political Science Research Questions

Bottom Line on Business Research Paper Topics

There are numerous categories of topics for business research paper. The chosen topic should be a reflection of your expertise. Before deciding on the research paper topic about business to write on, you must first establish your specialty besides ensuring you have the necessary facts as well as resources. Provided in this article are 250 business research ideas. Feel free to choose from any category depending on your area of interest. Don't forget to proofread as well as modify your final paper several times before submission. All the best! Just in case you need to conduct a study in another field, remember that we have a huge arsenal of topics in various disciplines. From psychology research topics to sociology research paper topics , you can spot any title idea for an A-grade work.

Contact our professional writers. They have extensive experience in different fields and deliver top-notch academic works written from scratch. Just leave a ‘ do my paper ’ request indicating all the requirements.

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The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI (gen AI) , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey  on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago. Respondents’ expectations for gen AI’s impact remain as high as they were last year , with three-quarters predicting that gen AI will lead to significant or disruptive change in their industries in the years ahead.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Alex Singla , Alexander Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Michael Chui , with Bryce Hall , representing views from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and McKinsey Digital.

Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen AI use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology. The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen AI—most notably, inaccuracy—as well as the emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

AI adoption surges

Interest in generative AI has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of AI capabilities. For the past six years, AI adoption by respondents’ organizations has hovered at about 50 percent. This year, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 percent (Exhibit 1). And the interest is truly global in scope. Our 2023 survey found that AI adoption did not reach 66 percent in any region; however, this year more than two-thirds of respondents in nearly every region say their organizations are using AI. 1 Organizations based in Central and South America are the exception, with 58 percent of respondents working for organizations based in Central and South America reporting AI adoption. Looking by industry, the biggest increase in adoption can be found in professional services. 2 Includes respondents working for organizations focused on human resources, legal services, management consulting, market research, R&D, tax preparation, and training.

Also, responses suggest that companies are now using AI in more parts of the business. Half of respondents say their organizations have adopted AI in two or more business functions, up from less than a third of respondents in 2023 (Exhibit 2).

Gen AI adoption is most common in the functions where it can create the most value

Most respondents now report that their organizations—and they as individuals—are using gen AI. Sixty-five percent of respondents say their organizations are regularly using gen AI in at least one business function, up from one-third last year. The average organization using gen AI is doing so in two functions, most often in marketing and sales and in product and service development—two functions in which previous research  determined that gen AI adoption could generate the most value 3 “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” McKinsey, June 14, 2023. —as well as in IT (Exhibit 3). The biggest increase from 2023 is found in marketing and sales, where reported adoption has more than doubled. Yet across functions, only two use cases, both within marketing and sales, are reported by 15 percent or more of respondents.

Gen AI also is weaving its way into respondents’ personal lives. Compared with 2023, respondents are much more likely to be using gen AI at work and even more likely to be using gen AI both at work and in their personal lives (Exhibit 4). The survey finds upticks in gen AI use across all regions, with the largest increases in Asia–Pacific and Greater China. Respondents at the highest seniority levels, meanwhile, show larger jumps in the use of gen Al tools for work and outside of work compared with their midlevel-management peers. Looking at specific industries, respondents working in energy and materials and in professional services report the largest increase in gen AI use.

Investments in gen AI and analytical AI are beginning to create value

The latest survey also shows how different industries are budgeting for gen AI. Responses suggest that, in many industries, organizations are about equally as likely to be investing more than 5 percent of their digital budgets in gen AI as they are in nongenerative, analytical-AI solutions (Exhibit 5). Yet in most industries, larger shares of respondents report that their organizations spend more than 20 percent on analytical AI than on gen AI. Looking ahead, most respondents—67 percent—expect their organizations to invest more in AI over the next three years.

Where are those investments paying off? For the first time, our latest survey explored the value created by gen AI use by business function. The function in which the largest share of respondents report seeing cost decreases is human resources. Respondents most commonly report meaningful revenue increases (of more than 5 percent) in supply chain and inventory management (Exhibit 6). For analytical AI, respondents most often report seeing cost benefits in service operations—in line with what we found last year —as well as meaningful revenue increases from AI use in marketing and sales.

Inaccuracy: The most recognized and experienced risk of gen AI use

As businesses begin to see the benefits of gen AI, they’re also recognizing the diverse risks associated with the technology. These can range from data management risks such as data privacy, bias, or intellectual property (IP) infringement to model management risks, which tend to focus on inaccurate output or lack of explainability. A third big risk category is security and incorrect use.

Respondents to the latest survey are more likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider inaccuracy and IP infringement to be relevant to their use of gen AI, and about half continue to view cybersecurity as a risk (Exhibit 7).

Conversely, respondents are less likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider workforce and labor displacement to be relevant risks and are not increasing efforts to mitigate them.

In fact, inaccuracy— which can affect use cases across the gen AI value chain , ranging from customer journeys and summarization to coding and creative content—is the only risk that respondents are significantly more likely than last year to say their organizations are actively working to mitigate.

Some organizations have already experienced negative consequences from the use of gen AI, with 44 percent of respondents saying their organizations have experienced at least one consequence (Exhibit 8). Respondents most often report inaccuracy as a risk that has affected their organizations, followed by cybersecurity and explainability.

Our previous research has found that there are several elements of governance that can help in scaling gen AI use responsibly, yet few respondents report having these risk-related practices in place. 4 “ Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” McKinsey Quarterly , March 13, 2024. For example, just 18 percent say their organizations have an enterprise-wide council or board with the authority to make decisions involving responsible AI governance, and only one-third say gen AI risk awareness and risk mitigation controls are required skill sets for technical talent.

Bringing gen AI capabilities to bear

The latest survey also sought to understand how, and how quickly, organizations are deploying these new gen AI tools. We have found three archetypes for implementing gen AI solutions : takers use off-the-shelf, publicly available solutions; shapers customize those tools with proprietary data and systems; and makers develop their own foundation models from scratch. 5 “ Technology’s generational moment with generative AI: A CIO and CTO guide ,” McKinsey, July 11, 2023. Across most industries, the survey results suggest that organizations are finding off-the-shelf offerings applicable to their business needs—though many are pursuing opportunities to customize models or even develop their own (Exhibit 9). About half of reported gen AI uses within respondents’ business functions are utilizing off-the-shelf, publicly available models or tools, with little or no customization. Respondents in energy and materials, technology, and media and telecommunications are more likely to report significant customization or tuning of publicly available models or developing their own proprietary models to address specific business needs.

Respondents most often report that their organizations required one to four months from the start of a project to put gen AI into production, though the time it takes varies by business function (Exhibit 10). It also depends upon the approach for acquiring those capabilities. Not surprisingly, reported uses of highly customized or proprietary models are 1.5 times more likely than off-the-shelf, publicly available models to take five months or more to implement.

Gen AI high performers are excelling despite facing challenges

Gen AI is a new technology, and organizations are still early in the journey of pursuing its opportunities and scaling it across functions. So it’s little surprise that only a small subset of respondents (46 out of 876) report that a meaningful share of their organizations’ EBIT can be attributed to their deployment of gen AI. Still, these gen AI leaders are worth examining closely. These, after all, are the early movers, who already attribute more than 10 percent of their organizations’ EBIT to their use of gen AI. Forty-two percent of these high performers say more than 20 percent of their EBIT is attributable to their use of nongenerative, analytical AI, and they span industries and regions—though most are at organizations with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The AI-related practices at these organizations can offer guidance to those looking to create value from gen AI adoption at their own organizations.

To start, gen AI high performers are using gen AI in more business functions—an average of three functions, while others average two. They, like other organizations, are most likely to use gen AI in marketing and sales and product or service development, but they’re much more likely than others to use gen AI solutions in risk, legal, and compliance; in strategy and corporate finance; and in supply chain and inventory management. They’re more than three times as likely as others to be using gen AI in activities ranging from processing of accounting documents and risk assessment to R&D testing and pricing and promotions. While, overall, about half of reported gen AI applications within business functions are utilizing publicly available models or tools, gen AI high performers are less likely to use those off-the-shelf options than to either implement significantly customized versions of those tools or to develop their own proprietary foundation models.

What else are these high performers doing differently? For one thing, they are paying more attention to gen-AI-related risks. Perhaps because they are further along on their journeys, they are more likely than others to say their organizations have experienced every negative consequence from gen AI we asked about, from cybersecurity and personal privacy to explainability and IP infringement. Given that, they are more likely than others to report that their organizations consider those risks, as well as regulatory compliance, environmental impacts, and political stability, to be relevant to their gen AI use, and they say they take steps to mitigate more risks than others do.

Gen AI high performers are also much more likely to say their organizations follow a set of risk-related best practices (Exhibit 11). For example, they are nearly twice as likely as others to involve the legal function and embed risk reviews early on in the development of gen AI solutions—that is, to “ shift left .” They’re also much more likely than others to employ a wide range of other best practices, from strategy-related practices to those related to scaling.

In addition to experiencing the risks of gen AI adoption, high performers have encountered other challenges that can serve as warnings to others (Exhibit 12). Seventy percent say they have experienced difficulties with data, including defining processes for data governance, developing the ability to quickly integrate data into AI models, and an insufficient amount of training data, highlighting the essential role that data play in capturing value. High performers are also more likely than others to report experiencing challenges with their operating models, such as implementing agile ways of working and effective sprint performance management.

About the research

The online survey was in the field from February 22 to March 5, 2024, and garnered responses from 1,363 participants representing the full range of regions, industries, company sizes, functional specialties, and tenures. Of those respondents, 981 said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function, and 878 said their organizations were regularly using gen AI in at least one function. To adjust for differences in response rates, the data are weighted by the contribution of each respondent’s nation to global GDP.

Alex Singla and Alexander Sukharevsky  are global coleaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and senior partners in McKinsey’s Chicago and London offices, respectively; Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, where Michael Chui , a McKinsey Global Institute partner, is a partner; and Bryce Hall  is an associate partner in the Washington, DC, office.

They wish to thank Kaitlin Noe, Larry Kanter, Mallika Jhamb, and Shinjini Srivastava for their contributions to this work.

This article was edited by Heather Hanselman, a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office.

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The Insurtech firm Hippo was facing two big challenges related to climate change: major loss ratios and rate hikes. The company used technologically empowered services to create its competitive edge, along with providing smart home packages, targeting risk-friendly customers, and using data-driven pricing. But now CEO and president Rick McCathron needed to determine how the firm’s underwriting model could account for the effects of high-intensity weather events. Harvard Business School professor Lauren Cohen discusses how Hippo could adjust its strategy to survive a new era of unprecedented weather catastrophes in his case, “Hippo: Weathering the Storm of the Home Insurance Crisis.”

Navigating Consumer Data Privacy in an AI World

Consumers expect companies to do everything they can to protect their personal data, but breaches continue to happen at an alarming rate. Eva Ascarza and Ta-Wei Huang say companies must take bold steps to proactively manage customers’ sensitive data if they want to earn trust and remain competitive.

• 30 May 2024

Racial Bias Might Be Infecting Patient Portals. Can AI Help?

Doctors and patients turned to virtual communication when the pandemic made in-person appointments risky. But research by Ariel Stern and Mitchell Tang finds that providers' responses can vary depending on a patient's race. Could technology bring more equity to portals?

• 28 May 2024

Job Search Advice for a Tough Market: Think Broadly and Stay Flexible

Some employers have pared staff and reduced hiring amid mixed economic signals. What does it mean for job seekers? Paul Gompers, Letian Zhang, and David Fubini offer advice for overcoming search challenges to score that all-important offer.

• 22 May 2024

H2 Green Steel: Decarbonizing Steel Production with Green Hydrogen

This episode is a part of our series on decarbonizing the roots of value chains, where we’re looking deep into supply chains that serve many industries. Our prior episode explored green concrete, and today’s focuses on steel. Steel production primarily relies on coal and coke, and accounts for nearly 7% of global CO2 emissions. But new technologies are on the horizon. Maria Persson Gulda, Chief Technology Officer at H2 Green Steel, joins us to discuss an innovative solution: green steel made from green hydrogen. By harnessing renewable power, H2 Green Steel is pioneering a path to drastically reduce steel's carbon footprint. Maria will also share insights into the world’s largest green steel plant in Sweden H2 is building, the evolving technological landscape, and the pivotal role of initial adopters. Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative (LinkedIn) Guest: Maria Persson Gulda, the Chief Technology Officer at H2 Green Steel (LinkedIn)

Banned or Not, TikTok Is a Force Companies Can’t Afford to Ignore

It may be tempting to write off TikTok, the highly scrutinized social media app whose cat clips and dance videos propelled it to the mainstream. However, business leaders could learn valuable lessons about engaging consumers from the world's most-used platform, says Shikhar Ghosh in a case study.

• 21 May 2024

The Importance of Trust for Managing through a Crisis

In March 2020, Twiddy & Company, a family-owned vacation rental company known for hospitality rooted in personal interactions, needed to adjust to contactless, remote customer service. With the upcoming vacation season thrown into chaos, President Clark Twiddy had a responsibility to the company’s network of homeowners who rented their homes through the company, to guests who had booked vacations, and to employees who had been recruited by Twiddy’s reputation for treating staff well. Who, if anyone, could he afford to make whole and keep happy? Harvard Business School professor Sandra Sucher, author of the book The Power of Trust: How Companies Build It, Lose It, Regain It, discusses how Twiddy leaned into trust to weather the COVID-19 pandemic in her case, “Twiddy & Company: Trust in a Chaotic Environment.”

What the Rise of Far-Right Politics Says About the Economy in an Election Year

With voters taking to the polls in dozens of countries this year, could election outcomes lean conservative? Paula Rettl says a lack of social mobility and a sense of economic insecurity are some of the factors fueling far-right movements around the world.

• 15 May 2024

Can work-based learning revive college-for-all?

Propel America CEO Chad Rountree on rethinking the high school-to-career transition to meet the needs of low-income students, colleges, and employers.

A Major Roadblock for Autonomous Cars: Motorists Believe They Drive Better

With all the advances in autonomous vehicle technology, why aren't self-driving cars chauffeuring more people around? Research by Julian De Freitas, Stuti Agarwal, and colleagues reveals a simple psychological barrier: Drivers are overconfident about their own abilities, so they resist handing over the wheel.

• 13 May 2024

Picture This: Why Online Image Searches Drive Purchases

Smaller sellers' products often get lost on large online marketplaces. However, harnessing images in search can help consumers find these products faster, increasing sales and customer satisfaction, finds research by Chiara Farronato and colleagues.

• 09 May 2024

Called Back to the Office? How You Benefit from Ideas You Didn't Know You Were Missing

As companies continue to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of remote work, a study of how knowledge flows among academic researchers by Karim Lakhani, Eamon Duede, and colleagues offers lessons for hybrid workplaces. Does in-person work provide more opportunities for innovation than people realize?

Pattern Computer ProSpectral™ Device Found to be “Potentially Disruptive” in Clinical Diagnostics and Military Bio Attack Roles

• New paper on sensing research collaboration with national labs available on medRxiv

• Hyperspectral sensing shown to enable agnostic reagent-free diagnostics

• Study addresses clear and critical need for pathogen agnostic diagnostics that can be quickly and effectively performed at point of need

• Research collaboration funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory

REDMOND, Wash., June 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pattern Computer®, Inc. (“Pattern” or “the Company”) today announced the availability of the first paper produced by a research collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), which addresses the clear and critical need for pathogen agnostic diagnostics that can be quickly and effectively performed at point of need. Leveraging the Company’s AI-enabled Pattern Discovery Engine™ (PDE) along with its ProSpectral™ multi-disease diagnostics research platform, the resulting manuscript “ Reagent-free Hyperspectral Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Saliva Samples ” is available on an online preprint server at medRxiv at www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.03.24308300v2.full-text and is being submitted to scientific journals for consideration for publication.

From the Manuscript: Reagent-free Hyperspectral Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Saliva Samples

To our knowledge, this establishes the fastest hyperspectral diagnostic platform (3 seconds/measurement), with no preprocessing and in a small form factor, and executable with liquid (clinical) samples, without ligands or reagents. Our data demonstrates that the sensitivity of this assay is comparable to gold-standard PCR-based assays; and that the signatures are specific to COVID-19 and not associated with influenza and other respiratory pathogens – establishing the truly agnostic nature of the platform.

Preparedness against unanticipated pathogens and democratization of diagnostics requires moving away from technologies that demand specific reagents; and relying on intrinsic biochemical properties that can, theoretically, inform on all pathologies. Integration of hyperspectral sensors and in-line machine learning analytics, as reported here, shows the feasibility of such diagnostics. If realized to full potential, the ProSpectral™ V1 platform can enable agnostic diagnostics, thereby improving situational awareness and decision-making at the point of need; especially in resource-limited settings – enabling the distribution of newly developed tests for emerging pathogens with only a software update.

Matt Keener, Pattern Chief Technology Officer, noted, “Employing Pattern’s ProSpectral platform, an integrated, bench-top hyperspectral instrument (400-1700 nm) engineered for use with clinical samples, this study has definitively shown hyperspectral sensing to enable pathogen agnostic, reagent-free diagnostics. Pattern invented the first PDE for identifying novel patterns in complex data that cannot be discovered using conventional analytical techniques, algorithms, or tools. The Company created the ProSpectral platform – a portable system capable of continuous collection of spectral signatures in clinical samples such as saliva – and combined it with the PDE to generate predictive models of disease with unmatched accuracy and speed. The instrument may incorporate pattern recognition via embedded AI/ML algorithms and can decode the same within seconds at the point of need, without the need for any reagents. ProSpectral was used in the research study to capture SARS-CoV-2 infection-related spectral signatures in saliva. The signatures were analyzed by researchers using tools including the PDE, which provided explainable predictive metrics for SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis. The methods described are broadly applicable to diseases and disease states, and the ability to train and release new explainable models is getting faster with each generation.”

Mark Anderson, Chair and CEO of Pattern, commented, “Emerging infectious diseases are a major concern in national health security. The results from the study highlight the significant potential of Pattern’s AI-enabled PDE and our ProSpectral platform, and represent an important step forward in our development efforts surrounding multi-disease diagnostics research. Pattern is honored to be a part of this innovative and far-reaching research intended to enable front-line workers to distinguish between viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections in seconds in the field.”

Mr. Anderson concluded, “We are excited by the findings of this study, which indicate that ProSpectral is indeed a disruptive new technology in realizing rapid, reagent-free, pathogen agnostic diagnostics at the point of need; a critical development that can truly impact point of care in both clinical diagnostic decision making, and clinical/military pandemic/outbreak control.”

About ProSpectral ™ Pattern has created a line of light-based devices which can detect the presence of diseases in three seconds. Using 100ul (two drops) of saliva placed into a small disposable sample container, a broad-spectrum light source is passed through the saliva and the light absorption pattern is captured by the device. The device, utilizing an accurate model of Covid-19’s absorption pattern, identifies an active Covid-19 infection with 98.8% balanced accuracy in the proof of concept. In critical environments where no individual shall pass with Covid-19, the accuracy of the device can be adjusted to 100% detection with up to 8% false positives. No reagents are required. The accuracy of each test is nearly equivalent to the current gold standard of a nasopharyngeal sample processed through an RT-PCR device. ProSpectral is ideally suited for situations where many people need to be tested in a short amount of time and/or on a frequent basis. The non-invasive sample collection eliminates patient discomfort, simplifies the testing process, and will likely increase voluntary compliance with regards to testing. The device is designed to meet FDA 21 CFR 820 and internationally ISO 13485.2016 guidelines. Regulatory approvals will be sought before availability in each market.

About medRxiv medRxiv (pronounced "med-archive") is a free online archive and distribution server for complete but unpublished manuscripts (preprints) in the medical, clinical, and related health sciences. Preprints are preliminary reports of work that have not been certified by peer review. They should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.

medRxiv is for the distribution of preprints - complete but unpublished manuscripts - that describe human health research conducted, analyzed, and interpreted according to scientific principles. Research articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, clinical research design protocols and data articles may be posted. MedRxiv is not intended for case reports (single or in series), narrative reviews, editorials, letters, opinion pieces and hypotheses that lack data, work not premised on modern biology/physiology or allopathic medicine, laboratory protocols/recipes, theses, term papers, textbook excerpts or individual components of research articles such as figures, tables, and datasets. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/about-medrxiv

About Pattern Pattern Computer, Inc. uses its Pattern Discovery Engine™ to solve the most important and intractable problems in business and medicine. These proprietary mathematical techniques in advanced AI can find complex patterns in very-high-order data that have eluded detection by much larger systems. As the Company applies its computational platform to the challenging fields of drug discovery and diagnostics, it is also making major Pattern Discoveries for partners in other sectors, including extended biotech, materials science, aerospace manufacturing quality control, veterinary medicine, air traffic operations, and energy services. See www.patterncomputer.com.

CONTACT:  Laura Guerrant-Oiye (808) 960-2642 – [email protected]

The foregoing contains statements about Pattern Computer’s future that are not statements of historical fact. These statements are “forward looking statements” for purposes of applicable securities laws and are based on current information and/or management’s good faith belief as to future events. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “should,” “could,” “will,” and similar expressions signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties, which change over time, and actual performance could differ materially from that anticipated by any forward-looking statements. Pattern Computer undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Copyright © 2024 Pattern Computer Inc. All Rights Reserved. Pattern Computer, Inc., Pattern Discovery Engine, PatternBio, TrueXAI, and ProSpectral are trademarks of Pattern Computer Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.