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Human + Machine

In the age of AI, the greatest business value comes not from machines replacing humans but from humans and machines collaborating in a 'missing middle' to reimagine work and processes.

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What it’s about

Human + Machine reframes the dominant 'robots-will-take-our-jobs' narrative by showing, through research across 1,500+ companies and rich real-world examples, that the third wave of business transformation is about adaptive, collaborative processes in which people and AI amplify each other's strengths. Drawing on Accenture's research and hands-on experience, Daugherty and Wilson reveal the 'missing middle'—new categories of work where humans train, explain, and sustain AI while machines amplify, interact with, and embody new human capabilities. The book supplies a practical roadmap—the MELDS framework (Mindset, Experimentation, Leadership, Data, Skills) plus eight new 'fusion skills'—that leaders, managers, and workers can use to reimagine processes, avoid stalling out on mere automation, and capture step-change gains in performance while keeping people at the center and deploying AI responsibly.

The through-line

Who it’s for
A business leader, manager, or worker who wants to harness AI to drive growth, improve work, and secure their organization's and career's future in the age of AI.
The problem
AI is rapidly transforming business, but it is unclear how to apply it for breakthrough results rather than stalling automation. Leaders feel the topic of AI is intimidating, confusing, and threatening, fearing job displacement and being left behind by competitors.
The plan
  1. Adopt the right mindset: reimagine processes around the missing middle rather than just automating them.
  2. Foster a culture of experimentation to test, learn, and scale AI in your processes.
  3. Exercise leadership for responsible AI—building trust and managing ethical, legal, and societal concerns.
  4. Build a dynamic data supply chain to fuel intelligent systems.
  5. Develop the eight fusion skills your people need to collaborate with AI.
The payoff
Step-change gains in performance that propel your organization to industry leadership. · Workers who are safer, more engaged, and freed to do more human, creative, judgment-based work. · New business models, products, and services made possible by human-machine collaboration.

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