mckinsey -人工智能时代加速资源配置为何至关重要 Why accelerated resource allocation matters in the age of AI

Mckunsey

&company

July2026

Strategy&CorporateFinancePractice

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI

InaneraofrapidAIdisruption,thewinnersmaynotbethecompaniesthatpredictthefuturemostaccurately,butthosethatlearn,reallocateresources,andadaptfasterthantheircompetitors.

byLauraLaBerge,MattBanholzer,andTimKollerwithJacobMarcus

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI2

ThepaceofchangethatAIbringsismakingmanyleadersfeelsignificantpressuretoadaptfasterthantheyareaccustomedto.Andformany,thestakesfeelveryhigh.

Inourlatest

McKinseyGlobalSurvey

ofmorethan1,200executivesandmanagers,40percentofrespondentsexpecttheircurrentbusinessmodeltorequiresignificantchangewithinthenextthreeyearsjusttoremaineconomicallyviable

1

Yetthereissignificantoptimism.Nearly

40percentofrespondentsexpecttheirorganizationtobeafirstmoverwhenitcomestoAI,and60percentbelievetheywillsuccessfullydifferentiatethemselvesfromtheirpeers

throughthesemoves.

Butthereisagapbetweenambitionandexperience.FewerthanhalfofthoserespondentswhoaspiretobeAIfirstmoverssaytheirorganizationsarecurrentlyfirstmoversingeneral.This

meanscompaniesareattemptingtoactmorequicklythantheyhavebefore,inalandscapethatislessfamiliarduetotheAIdisruption,andwithhighstakes.

Whilethevalueofbeingatruefirstmoverisunclear,thereisvalueinunderstandinghow

companiesthatrespondentsdescribeasfirstmoverscanactquicklywhenthepathforwardisunclear.

Thesecompaniesarenotnecessarilysuperioratpredictingthefuture.Rather,oursurveydatashowtheyaremoreablethanotherstosecurecommitmentwithintheorganizationtoexecute

themovesdespiteuncertaintyandreallocateresourcesbasedonperformance(asopposedtointernalpoliticsorfear).

ExecutiveshavebigaspirationstomovefirstonAI

Weseeahighlevelofoptimismaboutcompanies’abilitytodeployAImoreswiftlythantheirpeerscan.Thirty-ninepercentofrespondentsexpecttheircompaniestobefirstmoversonAIadoption(Exhibit1).Theyarealsoconfidentintheirorganizations’abilitytosuccessfullydifferentiate

themselvesthroughtheiruseofAI.SixtypercentofsurveyrespondentssaytheirorganizationwillharnessAItosuccessfullydifferentiateitselffrombothnewandexistingcompetitors.

Pastdisruptionswouldsuggestthatthisoveralllevelofoptimismmightbeunrealistic,

2

butit’sunderstandable:TheAIdisruptionismovingquickly,andthepathforward—andthesense

ofwhichbetswillandwon’tpayout—isnotyetfullydefined.Undertheseconditions,manyexecutiveslikelyfeelliketheyarefirstmoversonAI.

Aswementioned,mostrespondentswhoexpecttobeAIfirstmoversdon’tdescribetheir

organizationsascurrentfirstmoversmorebroadly.Andthosewithatrackrecordofmovingfirst

reportresourceallocationpracticesthatdiffersignificantlyfromthosewhosimplyaspiretodoso.

WhetherbeingfirstwithAIultimatelycreatesadvantagesforcompaniesremainstobeseen.Butleaderscanstilllearnfromcompaniesthathavedemonstratedanabilitytomovedecisivelywhenthepathforwardisunclear.

1TheonlinesurveywasinthefieldfromApril6toApril27,2026,andgarneredresponsesfrom1,205executivesandmanagerswhoareemployedfull-timeintheprivatesectorin94nations,representingthefullrangeofregions,industries,companysizes,andfunctionalspecialties.

2AnnaBergeketal.,“TechnologicalDiscontinuitiesandtheChallengeforIncumbentFirms:Destruction,DisruptionorCreativeAccumulation?”ResearchPolicy,Volume42,Number6.

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI3

Exhibit1

ThereisahighlevelofoptimismaboutbeingafirstmoverwithAIrelativetocompetitors.

ShareofrespondentsstatingthattheirorganizationaspirestobeafirstmoverwithAIrelativetocompetitors,%(n=1,205)

---Average39

Advanced

manufacturing

Business,

legal,and

professional

services

Consumer

goods

Energyand

materials

Engineering,

construction,

andbuilding

materials

Financial

services

Healthcare,

pharma,and

medical

products

Technology,

media,and

telecom

4445

38374040

3333

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

Thereisalsoahighlevelofoptimismacrossindustriesaboutorganizations’abilitytodi仟erentiatethemselvesusingAI.

ShareofrespondentsexpectingAIuseattheirorganizationtodi仟erentiatethemfromcompetitors,%(n=1,205)

64

52

Advanced

manufacturing

TraditionalcompetitorsNewcompetitorsTraditionalcompetitors,average62Newcompetitors,average58

73

66

58

53

Engineering,

construction,

andbuilding

materials

Healthcare,

pharma,and

medical

products

61

54

49

Business,

legal,and

professional

services

Technology,

media,and

telecom

6262

57

65

57

Consumergoods

Energyandmaterials

Financialservices

62

54

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI4

Firstmovershandleuncertaintybetterthanothers

Firstmoverssuccessfullyfundwhatmatters,acrossbothcapitalandpeople(Exhibit2).And,asfirstmovers’specificbehaviorsandmindsetsdemonstrate,theyarehighlyalignedonstrategicprioritiesandwhatisrequiredtodeliveronthem.

SpendingonAIisonerealcostthatcanbecategorizedasbothoperatingexpensesandcapitalexpensesandcaninfluencetalentcostsandstrategy.Ascompanies’spendingonAItokens

expands,itwillrequirethesamelevelofscrutinyanddisciplineaswithotherresourcestoensuremeaningfulreturns.

Exhibit2

Firstmoversaremoree仟ectivethanothersareatallocatingcapitalandtalenttoimportantstrategicinvestments.

Frequencyatwhichrespondents’organizationse仟ectivelyallocatethegivenresourcetotheirmostimportantstrategicinvestments,bystrategicposture,1%

CompletelyMostlySomewhatMinimallyNotatall

2

5

25

51

18

7

18

39

29

7

5

19

48

24

Operatingexpenses

7

39

42

9

Firstmover

Latemover

Averagemover

1

2

8

30

39

19

9

22

27

26

10

2

Capitalexpenses

11

33

41

12

Toptalent

7

19

37

29

6

4

11

30

36

16

22

30

31

14

3

18

41

29

10

2

2

Toptechtalent

9

24

39

22

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“averagemover,”n=348;for“latemover,”n=106.Respondentswhodescribedtheirorganizationasa“fastfollower”andthosewhoanswered“don’tknow”

arenotshown.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI5

Beingafirstmovermeansactuallymovingthings

Whenthinkingabout“firstmovers,”individualsoftenfocusentirelyonthe“first”aspect.However,the“moving”partisarguablythemorecriticalpart.Conceptscan’tcreatevalueifresources

aren’tallocatedtothem.Forexample,AppledidnotinventtheMP3player—but,unlikeothers,itwaswillingtoreorganizeandcreateanecosystemaround“digitalmusicconsumption”before

themarketfullymatured.

Indeed,firstmoversaresignificantlymoredecisiveaboutshiftingtheirresourcestoenablea

newopportunity.Respondentswhodescribetheirorganizationsasfirstmovers—whomwe

refertoas“firstmovers”inthesefindings—aremorethanthreetimesmorelikelytoreallocateatleast20percentofresourcesyearoveryearaslatemoversare(Exhibit3).

Ideasalonerarelycreateadvantage;thatcomesfrommovingenoughcapital,talent,and

managementattentionbehindtheideaforittomatter.Whilemakingboldbetscanbearisk,soismovinghesitantly,whichcansometimessignaltoamoredecisivecompetitorthatan

opportunityexists.

Exhibit3

Firstmoversarethreetimesmorelikelythanlatemoversaretosaytheyreallocatedsignificantamountsofresourcessincelastyear.

Firstmover32

Latemover10

Averagemover19

Shareofrespondentswhosaytheirorganizations

reallocated20%ormoreofresourcesthisyear,

comparedwithlastyear,bystrategicposture,1%

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“averagemover,”n=348;for“latemover,”n=106.Respondentswhodescribedtheirorganizationasa“fastfollower”arenotshown.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI6

Firstmoversstaycommittedtolong-termgrowth

Theideaofbeingnimbleisoftenunfairlyassociatedwithprioritizingshort-termgainsoverlong-termvalue.Firstmoversarenotshortsighted.Infact,thesurveyresultsshowtheyareabout

threetimesaslikelyaslatemoversaretoavoidbeingoverlyfocusedonshort-termgoals,andtheydevotemorethantwiceasmuchoftheirinnovationorR&Dspendaslatemoversdoto

longer-terminvestments(Exhibit4).

Exhibit4

Despitebeingfast,firstmoversdon’toverlyfocusonshort-termgoals.

Firstmover57

Latemover18

Averagemover30

Shareofrespondentswhosaytheirorganizationfullyfundstopinitiativesfor

futuregrowthwithout

overfocusingonshort-termperformance,bystrategicposture,1%

15

7

10

AverageshareofinnovationorR&Dbudgetatrespondents’organizationsthatisallocatedtolong-terminvestments,2%

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“averagemover,”n=348;for“latemover,”n=106.Respondentswhodescribedtheirorganizationasa“fastfollower”arenotshown.

2Long-terminvestmentsweredefinedas“projectsthatwilldelivermostoftheirimpactmorethan7yearsout.”Theweightedaverageswerecalculatedusingthemidpointofeachrangeo仟eredasananswerchoice.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

Theyarealsonearlyfourtimesaslikelyastheslowestmoversaretotakeathrough-cycleapproachtogrowth,investingingrowthinitiativesevenintimesofeconomicuncertainty(Exhibit5).

Exhibit5

Firstmoversinvestingrowthevenintimesofeconomicuncertainty.

Firstmover57

Latemover15

Averagemover33

Shareofrespondentswho

saytheirorganizationoftenoralmostalwayssecures

fundingfortopinitiativesforfuturegrowth,evenintimesofeconomicuncertainty,

bystrategicposture,1%

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“averagemover,”n=348;for“latemover,”n=106.Respondentswhodescribedtheirorganizationasa“fastfollower”arenotshown.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI7

Theimportanceofcontinuingtoinvestingrowthduringdownturnsordisruptions

hasbeen

showntobeakeydifferentiator

notjustforlong-termgrowthbutalsoforsurvival.Sohowdofirstmoversmanagethis,andwhatcancompanieslearnfromthemabouthowtocommitdespiteuncertainty?

Howfirstmoversgettheorganizationtoactuallymove

Firstmoverscan,ofcourse,getthingswrong.Butwaitingtoinvestinasurebetcanalsobe

dangerous,particularlyduringtimesofdisruption.Ourresearchshowsthatfirstmoverstendtotakeafewcriticalstepstoderisktheirboldmoves.

Theyalignonwhatmatters

Resourceallocationbreaksdownwhenbusinessfunctionsrowindifferentdirections.Firstmoverscreatealignmentnotjustonstrategybutalsoonwhattrade-offstheorganizationis

actuallywillingtomake.Ifjustonegroupfailstofreeuptherighttalenttoworkonaninitiative,theentireeffortcangrindtoahalt,andROImaybenegative.

Firstmoversensurethateveryoneismovingintherightdirectionbyhavingaclearstrategythatexecutivesacrosstheorganizationbelieveinandcommitto,aswellasasharedunderstandingofthespecificfactorsthatcanwin(andlose)thecustomerstheyhave(Exhibit6).

Exhibit6

Firstmoversknowhowtocommittowhatmatters.

Shareofrespondentsdescribingtheextent

towhichexecutivesacrosstheorganization

committedtotheoverallstrategy,bystrategicposture,1%

79

Verycommitted

Entirelycommitted

48

31

First

mover

51

42

9

Average

mover

33

28

5

Late

mover

Levelofrespondents’confidenceintheir

organization’sunderstandingofthespecificfactorsforwhycustomerschoosetheir

o仟erings,bystrategicposture,2%ofrespondents

75

Confident

40

34

6

24

19

5

Highlyconfident

46

29

Firstmover

Latemover

Averagemover

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“averagemover,”n=348;for“latemover,”n=106.Respondentswhodescribedtheirorganizationasa“fastfollower”orwhoanswered“notatallcommitted,”“slightlycommitted,”“moderatelycommitted,”or“don’tknow”arenotshown.

2Respondentswhosaid“notatallconfident,”“slightlyconfident,”and“moderatelyconfident,”or“don’tknow”arenotshown.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI8

Withoutthisalignment,itishardertopullresourcesfromexistinginitiativesorbusinessesthatmightbesomeone’spetprojectorrequiremoreeffortthanmaintainingthestatusquo.Inertiaisn’tjustaforceinphysics,anditrequiressomethinggreatertosettheorganizationinmotion.

Theymakedecisionsbasedonperformance,notpoliticsorfear

Mostorganizationsdonotsufferfromalackofideas.Theysufferfromaninabilitytostopfundingyesterday’spriorities.Adesiretokeepfundingsomeone’spetprojectisjustoneofthethings

thatcangetinthewayofmakinggoodallocationdecisions.Whenfirstmoversdecidewhattofundandhowtoproceed,theyarelesslikelythanslowermoversaretobehinderedbycommon

obstacles—suchasalackoftransparencyonwhereandwhyprojectsareunder-oroverperforming,projectsfallingpreytointernalpolitics,and

fearofmakingbigbets

(Exhibit7).Thesurvey

findingsshowthatleadersinfirst-movercompaniestendtohavebetteraccessthantheirslower-movingpeerstoup-to-dateperformancedatatohelpinformresourcingdecisions.

Exhibit7

Firstmoversareclearonwheretheorganizationisover-andunderperforminganddon’tfallpreytointernalpolitics.

Significantbarriersrespondents’organizationsfaceinallocatingresourcestowhatmattersmost,1%ofrespondents

01020

Firstmover

Latemover

30

4050Delta

Decision-makers’lackofaclearviewonwhereandwhytheorganizationisunder-oroverperforming

2.6x

Fundingbasedoninternalpolitics

(ie,asopposedtoperformance)

2.6x

1.9x

Leadersnotcommunicatingthestrategicprioritiesclearly

Fearofcommittingtobiginvestments

1.8x

(ie,arisk-averseculture)

Toomuchbureaucracy

1.6x

(eg,fullcommitteeapproval,manysign-o仟s)

Cultureof“notsayingno”orcultureofconsensus

1.5x

leadstofundinglower-performinginitiatives

1.5x

Incentivesaremorefocusedondownsideriskandnotbalancedwithupsidepotential

Focuson“sunkcosts,”whichpreventsstopping

1.4x

initiativesthatareunderperformingoo

1.3x

Toomuchfocusonshort-termfinancialtargets

1.2x

Lackofamechanismtoembednewstrategicprioritiesintothecurrentyear’sbudget

Executivesnotadheringtoresourcingcommitmentsbecausetheydisagreewiththestrategicpriorities

–0.1x

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“latemover,”n=106.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI9

Theycancompareapplestooranges

In

pastresearch

,wefoundthatorganizationsoftenstruggletocompareinitiativesacross

differenttimehorizonsorriskprofileswhendecidinghowtoallocatetheirinnovationbudgets.

Thelatestdatashowthatfirstmoverstakeamoredisciplinedapproachtoevaluatinginvestments.Respondentsfromfirstmoversaresignificantlymorelikelytoreportusingdiscountedcash

flowmetricslikepresentvalueoverinvestment(PV/I)orinternalrateofreturn(IRR)toevaluatetheirgrowthinitiatives(Exhibit8).

Exhibit8

Firstmoversaremuchmorelikelytousediscountedcashfiowmetricstoevaluatetheirgrowthinvestments.

Firstmover51

Latemover25

Averagemover38

Shareofrespondentswhosaytheirorganization

usesdiscountedcashfiowmetricstoevaluateeach

typeofinitiative,

bystrategicposture,1%

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“averagemover,”n=348;for“latemover,”n=106.Respondentswhodescribedtheirorganizationasa“fastfollower”arenotshown.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

Theycorrectcoursemorequickly

Firstmoversalsoreallocateresourcesatamuchfasterrate—thoughspeednaturallyvariesbyindustry.Respondentsfromfirstmoversreportmorefrequentadjustmentsthanslowermoversdo(Exhibit9).

Exhibit9

Firstmoversadjusttheirresourcingbasedoninitiatives’performancemorefrequentlythanslowermovers.

Frequencyatwhichrespondents’organizationsadjustresourcingbasedoninitiatives’performance,1%ofrespondents

Firstmover

Latemover

100

020406080

Adjustallocationmonthlyorfaster

Adjustallocationquarterlyorfaster

1Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“latemover,”n=106.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executivesandmanagers,Apr6–27,2026

McKinsey&Company

WhyacceleratedresourceallocationmattersintheageofAI10

Differenttypesofinitiativeswillhavedifferenttimelinesforrevisitingtheirperformance,of

course.Whilesomerequireareviewanddecisioneverymonth,othersmighthaveasix-monthtimeline—andsometimesthemilestonesmustbeuniquetoeachproject.Inourexperience,

what’simportantisthatleaderssetpointsatwhichtheywillrevisittheproject’sperformance,keepinginmindboththespecificsofthatprojectandupdateddetailsaboutitsperformance.

Makingmaterialchangesduringtimesofuncertaintycanfeellikeaddedrisk.Butmakingmorefrequent,smallermovesactuallyreducesit.Weseethisinthedata:Nearly40percentof

respondentsexpecttheircurrentbusinessmodeltorequiresignificantchangewithinthenextthreeyearsjusttoremaineconomicallyviable.Amongtheslowestmovers,thatfigurerises

tonearly60percent.Intimesofdisruption,movingslowlycarriesmoreriskthanmovingquicklybecausetheworldisn’tstandingstillaroundyou.Geologistshavelongobservedthataseriesofsmallearthquakescanbelessdestructivethanpressurebuildinguntilitisreleasedallatonce.

Organizationsfaceasimilardynamic.Companiesthatregularlyplacesmallbets,learnquickly,andreallocateresourcesreleasestrategicpressurecontinuously.Thosethatdelaydifficult

decisionsoftenfindthemselvesforcedintoamuchlargertransformationlater,whentheyhavefeweroptionsandlesstimetorespond.

FirstmoversarealsofirstwithAI

Naturally,companieswithafirst-moverstrategicposturearethefirsttomakechanges,andtheyareunsurprisinglymakingheadwaywithAImorequicklythantheirpeersare.TheyaremorethanthreetimesaslikelyastheslowestmoversaretoreportusingAItoassistwiththeirresource

allocationprocesses(Exhibit10)3TheyarealsomorethanfivetimesmorelikelytohaveAItoolsmonitorexternaltrendsanddisruptionstofactorintotheallocationprocess.

Exhibit10

FirstmoversuseAItoimprovetheirresourceallocationprocesses.

UsingAIinresourceallocationprocess

AImonitoringofexternaldisruptions/trendsasinputtoresourceallocation

Shareofrespondentsreportinggivenpracticeattheirorganization,1%

●FirstmoverLatemover

020406080100

1Figureswerecalculatedafterremovingthe11%ofrespondentswhoanswered“don'tknow.”Forrespondentswhodescribetheirorganizations’strategicpostureas“firstmover(ie,weshapethemarket),”n=398;forthosewhodescribetheirpostureas“latemover,”n=106.

Source:McKinseyGlobalSurveyoncompetitiveadvantageandresourceallocation,1,205executive