Our most-watched video of the year took on a tough topic: the hype surrounding artificial intelligence. MIT economist and Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu grabbed readers’ attention with his no-nonsense take on what AI will and won’t do to the modern economy and employment — earning hundreds of thousands of views and sparking a spirited discussion in the comments. Months after it first aired, that video continues to drive conversation among leaders in the MIT Sloan Management Review community and beyond.
It may not surprise you that four of the five most-watched videos this year are AI-related. This topic has, after all, become the top concern for many leaders. Are you doing too much or not enough? Are you developing the right skills in your people? Are you experimenting wisely with agentic AI? You’ll find new perspectives and data for tackling these and other tough AI questions in our top-five video roundup.
The other must-watch video here is on return-to-office mandates, a topic that has confounded many leaders and employees for well over a year. MIT SMR columnist Brian Elliott closely examined this subject in our most-watched video of 2024. Then, in 2025, he brought fresh data and leadership advice to the table, dismantling some myths about hybrid work in the process.
Dig in and see what you can learn from these experts.
1. Nobel Laureate Busts the AI Hype
While many people are predicting that AI will rapidly transform the economy, MIT economist Daron Acemoglu offers a more modest forecast. Drawing from his research, in this brief video, he explains why AI might automate only 5% of tasks and add just 1% to global GDP over the next decade. Acemoglu also asserts that AI’s potential is less clear than the internet’s was and that human judgment trumps algorithms, and he challenges leaders to innovate with AI rather than simply slash costs.
Watch the video “Nobel Laureate Busts the AI Hype,” with Daron Acemoglu and Kaushik Viswanath.
2. Philosophy Eats AI: What Leaders Should Know
Most organizations focus on the technical aspects of AI implementation, but they’d do better to look at how philosophy plays the more decisive role in delivering business value. In this video, authors Michael Schrage and David Kiron explain how the philosophical frameworks of teleology, epistemology, and ontology shape what artificial intelligence systems prioritize and produce. They also explain why Google’s conflicting objectives caused AI failures, while Starbucks’s and Amazon’s clarity created AI advantages.
Watch the video “Philosophy Eats AI: What Leaders Should Know,” with Michael Schrage and David Kiron.
3. The 5 Most Important AI Trends That Will Impact Your Business in 2025
Drawing from their latest MIT Sloan Management Review article, experts explore how agentic AI and large language models are reshaping business landscapes. Their analysis reveals how data-driven science is fundamentally changing organizational decision-making while data analytics continues to evolve in response to market demands. The discussion examines how tech trends are influencing strategic planning and operational efficiency across industries.
Watch the video “The 5 Most Important AI Trends That Will Impact Your Business in 2025,” with Thomas H. Davenport and Randy Bean.
4. Forced RTO: Surprising Lessons From Newest Data
As return-to-office mandates continue to make headlines, recent research shows that giving employees flexibility about where and when they work delivers measurable business results. In this video, workplace expert Brian Elliott draws on real-world examples from companies like Neiman Marcus Group to show how flexibility paired with accountability drives employee retention, helps teams meet their goals, and even boosts stock performance.
Watch the video “Forced RTO: Surprising Lessons From Newest Data,” with Brian Elliott and Leslie Brokaw.
5. 10 Essential Leadership Traits for the AI Era
The level of change artificial intelligence is fueling presents massive challenges for leaders. What qualities do those leaders need to succeed in the AI age? In this video from the 2025 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, AI experts and technology and business leaders share their insights on essential leadership capabilities. From the importance of playfulness to the need for courage, these perspectives challenge conventional thinking about AI leadership and offer practical guidance.
Watch the video “10 Essential Leadership Traits for the AI Era,” with Laurianne McLaughlin, Melissa Swift, Vipin Gupta, Monica Caldas, George Westerman, Michael Schrage, Dimitris Bountolos, Hannah Mayer, Keri Pearlson, Stuart Madnick, and Thomas H. Davenport.
Video Credits
M. Shawn Read is the multimedia editor at MIT Sloan Management Review.