AI

McKinsey estimates that generative AI could raise marketing productivity by 5 to 15 percent of total marketing spend, translating to roughly $463 billion annually.

And once you're staring at that kind of number, the rest of the conversation changes, too: the job forecasts, the re-org rumors, the "doing more with less" logic that's already seeped into white-collar life. The World Economic Forum projected that 23 percent of jobs will change by 2027, with 69 million jobs created and 83 million eliminated.

Top 25 Fastest-Growing Jobs in the U.S. (2026)

AI Engineers – Build AI models for complex tasks; median 3.7 years’ experience; 26% remote, 27% hybrid; 23% female. AI Consultants & Strategists – Plan and implement AI solutions; median 8.2 years; 30% remote, 33% hybrid; 18% female. New Home Sales Specialists – Guide buyers through new construction; median 6.5 years; primarily onsite; 57% female. Data Annotators – Label and review data for AI training; median 3.5 years; 28% remote, 29% hybrid; 62% female. AI/ML Researchers – Design and test AI algorithms; median 3 years; 16% remote, 24% hybrid; 26% female. Healthcare Reimbursement Specialists – Manage billing/claims; median 8 years; 42% remote; 68% female. Strategic Advisors & Independent Consultants – Provide specialized guidance; median 8.1 years; 15% remote, 26% hybrid; 30% female. Advertising Sales Specialists – Sell media space; median 5.6 years; 25% remote, 29% hybrid; gender parity. Founders – Launch and grow businesses; median 5.9 years; 51% remote, 30% hybrid; 35% female. Sales Executives – Lead sales teams and strategy; median 8 years; 2% remote, 3% hybrid; 19% female. Commissioning Managers – Test and validate engineering projects; median 5.3 years; 18% remote, 15% hybrid; 7% female. Venture Partners – Source and advise on investments; median 6.3 years; 8% remote, 80% hybrid; 23% female. Field Marketing Representatives – Promote products in person; median 2.1 years; primarily onsite; 34% female. Fundraising Officers – Secure financial support for organizations; median 6.3 years; 14% remote, 35% hybrid; 66% female. Background Investigators – Verify personal/professional info; median 4.5 years; 13% remote, 81% hybrid; gender balanced. Business Development Executives – Build partnerships and revenue streams; median 7.4 years; 19% remote, 29% hybrid; 39% female. Datacenter Technicians – Install and maintain servers/hardware; median 3.8 years; 4% remote, 32% hybrid; 16% female. Travel Advisors – Plan and book travel; median 5.3 years; 15% remote, 4% hybrid; 82% female. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners – Assess and treat mental health; median 6.3 years; 58% remote, 19% hybrid; 79% female. Quantitative Researchers & Analysts – Build models for finance; median 3.2 years; 7% remote, 35% hybrid; 24% female. Financial Advisors & Planners – Manage client finances; median 5.3 years; 5% remote, 34% hybrid; 27% female. Construction Project Leads – Oversee building projects; median 6 years; 10% hybrid; 14% female. Legal Researchers – Analyze legal info for policy/litigation; median 2.8 years; 42% remote, 17% hybrid; 64% female. Public Affairs Specialists – Manage public communications; median 5.5 years; 18% hybrid; 53% female. Benefits Advisors – Administer employee benefits programs; median 4.4 years; 56% remote, 8% hybrid; 54% female.

generative AI can indeed boost employee creativity, but the gains are not universal. Specifically, employees with stronger metacognition—the ability to plan, evaluate, monitor, and refine their thinking—are more likely to experience creative gains from using generative AI, because they can use it more effectively to acquire the cognitive job resources that fuel creativity.

For leaders and organizations, this finding reframes the challenge of AI-enabled creativity: to unlock AI’s potential for boosting workplace creativity, organizations must go beyond simply rolling out new tools; they also need to invest in developing employees’ metacognition and promote the thoughtful, strategic use of AI so employees can translate AI outputs into more effective creative performance.