HBR’s Most-Read Gen AI Articles of 2025 So Far

The questions senior leaders are asking about gen AI have evolved since LLMs first entered the mainstream: It’s less about if they should experiment with gen AI, and more about how to do so effectively, ethically, and for maximum business value. HBR’s coverage has also evolved on this topic, and distinct themes are emerging from the articles readers have engaged with the most: What are the practical, real-life applications of gen AI? How do I design and deploy an AI assistant? How should my organization strategize around agentic AI? What does the technology mean for managers? And what’s the cost-benefit analysis? If you need to catch up or revisit these ideas, we’ve collected 10 of our most popular gen AI pieces to illuminate the questions and answers shaping many senior leader agendas right now. How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025 by Marc Zao-Sanders This analysis surfaces real-life Gen AI use cases from the depths of hundreds of online forums. The top 10 use cases show a shift from mostly technical to more emotional applications, such as therapy and personal development. . . . How to Build Your Own AI Assistant by Alexandra Samuel A practical guide for leaders looking to create and refine custom AI assistants tailored to their or their team’s unique needs. Among the benefits: You’ll spend less time wrestling with prompts, and more time using the tools to support your work. . . . Agentic AI Is Already Changing the Workforce by Jen Stave, Ryan Kurt, and John Winsor Agentic AI systems are poised to reshape jobs, teams, and workflows, and leaders need an operational playbook for integrating them strategically. The authors argue they’re becoming digital teammates—an emerging category of talent. . . . What Is Agentic AI, and How Will It Change Work? by Mark Purdy Agentic AI will be empowered to do more on our behalf, with the promise of greater productivity, innovation, and insights for the human workforce. But so, too, are the risks: the potential for bias, mistakes, and inappropriate use. Early action by business and government leaders to set the right course is critical. . . . How AI Is Redefining Managerial Roles by HBR Editors Gen AI has already begun transforming work by speeding up and even automating tasks. But looking further up the org chart, how will it change the work of middle managers? Companies must determine what to automate, and who will benefit the most. . . . How Gen AI Could Disrupt SaaS—and Change the Companies That Use It by Deep Nishar and Nitin Nohria Gen AI is poised to revolutionize enterprise software, transforming traditional workflow systems into dynamic, goal-oriented environments. This disruption will have ripple effects far beyond software companies. . . . How AI Can Help Managers Think Through Problems by Elisa Farri and Gabriele Rosani Gen AI has the potential to be a powerful thought partner for managers, but there remains a gap between possibility and practicality. Using a process called co-thinking, managers can follow a four-step framework close this gap: Assign AI a role, define the setting, outline the dialogue, and create structured prompts. . . . AI Agents Are Changing How People Shop. Here’s What That Means for Brands. by Jur Gaarlandt, Wesley Korver, Nathan Furr, and Andrew Shipilov AI agents will search for consumer goods more broadly, swiftly, and comprehensively than humans. To compete, brands and retailers will have to embrace AI agent optimization ensuring that their unique strengths—whether it’s product quality, innovation, or customer service—are clearly measurable and easily recognizable by these systems. . . . Recalculating the Costs and Benefits of Gen AI by Mark Mortensen Leaders need to take a cold, hard look at their organizations and ask where they create true and unique value—otherwise they could destroy more value than they create in adopting gen AI. Conducting an AI value audit can help. . . . Can AI Agents Be Trusted? by Blair Levin and Larry Downes To ensure user trust and long-term adoption, AI agents should be treated as fiduciaries, held to legal and ethical standards that prioritize the user’s interests.

HBR’s Most-Read Gen AI Articles of 2025 So Far

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