The CEO of a McKinsey-backed employment nonprofit shares 4 ways leaders can implement AI effectively
In a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), Mona Mourshed, the CEO of Generation—a McKinsey-backed nonprofit dedicated to employment—has raised significant concerns about the way companies are integrating AI into their operations. With over a decade of experience in the future of work, Mourshed has observed that while a majority of employers are deploying AI tools, many are doing so without a clear strategy or understanding of their potential applications. According to Generation’s research conducted in early 2025, 65% of respondents reported using AI at work, with nearly 80% doing so weekly. Alarmingly, over half of these users were self-taught, relying on informal resources rather than structured guidance from their employers. This lack of direction can result in missed opportunities for productivity and satisfaction, as employees are often left to navigate the complexities of AI on their own.
Mourshed emphasizes the importance of a strategic approach to AI adoption. She outlines four key recommendations for CEOs looking to harness AI effectively. First, organizations should begin by identifying specific use cases rather than simply providing employees with tools. For example, Generation focuses on using AI to streamline job mobilization, which directly addresses a significant bottleneck in their operations. Second, Mourshed stresses the necessity of establishing clear guardrails around AI usage, ensuring that workflows are well-defined and that data privacy is maintained. Third, she advocates for empowering “power users” within the organization—those who naturally excel at using AI—to share their knowledge and experiences with colleagues, creating a culture of learning and collaboration. Finally, Mourshed urges leaders to view AI as a talent multiplier rather than a replacement for human workers. While some entry-level positions may decline due to AI integration, history shows that technological advancements often create new job opportunities in their wake.
Mourshed’s insights serve as a call to action for business leaders to actively engage with the challenges and opportunities presented by AI. She warns against complacency, stating that this is a critical period for learning and adaptation. By fostering an environment that encourages experimentation and collaboration, organizations can better navigate the complexities of AI and position themselves for success in an increasingly automated world. Mourshed’s perspective underscores the need for a thoughtful and proactive approach to AI, one that prioritizes strategic implementation and employee empowerment to truly unlock the technology’s potential.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AClM0u0tJd0
Mona Mourshed, Founder and CEO of Generation.
Courtesy of Mona Mourshed
The CEO of a McKinsey-backed nonprofit says too many firms roll out AI without a clear usage plan.
Generation found earlier in 2025 that most workers use AI weekly, but half are self-taught.
CEO Mona Mourshed urged leaders to set guardrails, empower “power users,” and treat AI as a multiplier.
Mona Mourshed has spent over a decade working on the future of work.
As CEO of Generation, one of the world’s largest employment nonprofits, operating in 17 countries and helping more than 140,000 people land jobs, she has a front-row seat to how companies are grappling with
artificial intelligence
.
Her takeaway: Many companies are rolling out
AI
without a clear strategy.
“The vast majority of employers are rolling out
AI tools
in some shape or form,” Mourshed, who previously worked at McKinsey — which founded Generation — told Business Insider.
“The question is whether they are rolling them out in a way that is effective.”
Too often, she said, companies take a scattershot approach.
“For many employers, it is, ‘Hey, here’s a license, go ahead and use it,'” she added. “As a result, the employee doesn’t know how or why you are supposed to use it so that you get the much-wanted gains of productivity, quality, and satisfaction.”
Generation’s own research highlights that gap.
In a survey of over 5,000 people across 17 countries in early 2025, the nonprofit found that 65% of respondents were alread. y using
AI on the job
.
Nearly 80% of those used it at least weekly, but 52% said they were self-taught, relying on tutorials or colleagues rather than formal employer guidance.
Here are Mourshed’s four recommendations for CEOs who want to adopt AI effectively.
Start with the use case, not the shiny tool
Mourshed said the biggest mistake is giving employees AI tools without linking them to a problem.
“The difference is not identifying the use cases,” she said.
She cited an example from Generation itself.
“We are an employment organization. There are certain things that are bottlenecks to our growth. We need to mobilize a lot of jobs,” she said.
“So that’s the first question. Our big bottleneck to growth is mobilizing jobs. So, how can we use AI to help us to mobilize more jobs faster? That then begins the conversation.”
Leaders who start with a bottleneck, rather than a tool, are far more likely to see measurable gains, she said.
Build clear guardrails
AI can only work if leaders are precise about workflows and careful with data.
“AI is a tool. It needs to be fed very detailed workflow steps, and it needs to be fed data in order for it to do its thing,” Mourshed said.
She warned leaders to balance access with responsibility.
“You have to feed it data, but you also have to be very careful that you’re not feeding it personal information,” she said. “You want to make sure that we are mitigating bias, so you, in some cases, don’t want to provide data about gender or about ethnic backgrounds.”
Empower internal champions and safe spaces
Change doesn’t just come from the C-suite. According to Mourshed, companies need to identify and elevate “power users.”
“There will be people who take to it and start using it all the time,” she said. “These people are actually the best sherpas for everyone else.”
At Generation, she encourages staff to share their experiences in AI “roundtables.”
“Think of it as the water-cooler coffee chat — we do it virtually, but it’s around AI topics,” she said.
Treat AI as a talent multiplier, not a replacement
Some sectors are already seeing a drop in entry-level roles exposed to AI.
“There is a reality today that when you look at
entry-level vacancies
in professions that are AI-exposed, entry-level vacancies in professions that are AI exposed, we do see a decline. And that’s not just in high-income countries, it’s in middle-income countries as well,” she said.
But she cautioned against a doomsday narrative.
“We also know from the history of technology that as things change, technology also gives rise to other jobs,” she said.
Even in industries that may seem insulated, she said, AI is quietly reshaping workflows.
“We are seeing that AI is coming into play in a quality-assurance role,” she said, pointing to examples like solar panel maintenance and garment inspection.
The bottom line: Don’t sit back
Mourshed said leaders can’t afford to sit on the sidelines while AI evolves.
“This is a period of tremendous learning,” she said. “There is no magic bullet here. We all have to slog through it in order to understand how to make the most of this technology.”
She advises CEOs to look both outside and inside their organizations: learn from peers, track internal champions, and spread their practices.
That, she said, is what will separate the winners from those who fall behind.
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