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Hi, I’m Rob Whiteman
I was lucky to have a fulfilling and rewarding career. I learned about business working for a multinational company that has been around since 1892. Then, I had a front-row seat to the global financial crisis at a New York private equity firm. Finally, I was elected partner at McKinsey & Company. Today, I’m (mostly) retired.
I spent the past decade becoming one of the leading experts on cognitive automation. I don’t subscribe to alarmist predictions that AI will eliminate all human work. Still, I believe we underestimate how automation alters competitive dynamics, investment returns, and social systems. Most of us rely on mental models grounded in how humans work, and we struggle to see the world through the eyes of machines.
I founded an automation service line at McKinsey in 2016. I worked with more than 200 private and public sector organizations to build automation and AI programs. I loved the work I was doing but craved independence.
I retired from McKinsey at the end of 2022. In the coming years, I want to explore innovative ideas and ventures with people excited about automation and AI. Specifically, I enjoy spending time on the following:
Business models that make innovative use of automation technologies
New ventures focused on automation-related disruption of industries and labor markets
Investment strategies grounded in how automation and AI generate value for organizations
Approaches for accelerating and commercializing the next wave of automation technologies (e.g., large language models, virtual reality, embodied cognition)
Better Future Advisors LLC is a "company of one," owned and operated by me. When not working, I write, learn new skills, and spend time with the people who make my life meaningful.