The Potential for Scaling Technology: Increased Labor Productivity… If We Get It Right — A Conversation with Asutosh Padhi

Asutosh Padhi is McKinsey & Company's Global Leader of Firm Strategy, responsible for shaping the strategic vision, accelerating the firm's pace of innovation, and evolving the partnership model as McKinsey turns 100 in 2026. He's currently an active board member of the Aspen Institute, the Brookings Institution, and the Field Museum. We had the pleasure of speaking with him as part of our series, “Back to the Future of Work: Revisiting the Past and Shaping the Future,” curated by the Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative.In this conversation with Economic Opportunities Program Executive Director Maureen Conway, Padhi explores the massive potential of scaling technology and generative artificial intelligence (AI) and where many companies have fallen short of realizing these benefits. “I think the promise of technology, particularly AI, is going to be that it can actually help us boost labor productivity…” he notes, “the productivity improvement, that then drives GDP, that drives economic wealth creation in a way that's inclusive.” However, Padhi emphasizes the importance of thoughtful adoption of technology, scaling, and the social trust necessary to make it happen. Trust, especially concerning misinformation and the ethical use of AI, is a major challenge. Looking to the future, Padhi underscores the importance of aligning technology with core human values — the need for leaders to reaffirm values as a guiding principle when making decisions about the future of work. While AI holds great promise for improving productivity and economic growth, it will require careful management, trust-building, and a focus on the human aspects of work to ensure a positive and inclusive future.For more from this discussion, including a video and transcript, visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/the-potential-for-scaling-technology-increased-labor-productivity-if-we-get-it-right/Check out our full series at: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/future-of-work/back-to-the-future-of-work-revisiting-the-past-and-shaping-the-future/