How AI is redefining the COO’s role

In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, hosts Lucia Raheli and Roberta Fusaro interview McKinsey Senior Partner Dan Swan about the growing importance of the Chief Operating Officer (COO) role, especially regarding productivity improvements through technologies like AI. Swan emphasizes the importance of a productivity mindset from the top down, functional excellence, and technology enablement, including automation and AI. He addresses the challenges of balancing short-term fixes with long-term strategic plans, the high failure rate of tech-driven pilots, and the need for COOs to foster collaboration across the C-suite. Swan also discusses how COOs can help organizations build resilience in their supply chains amidst external disruptions and encourages a mindset of continuous improvement and curiosity. He concludes by noting that while core skills remain vital, today's successful COOs must be end-to-end thinkers and embrace technology.