Interview with Professor Rita McGrath of Columbia Business School / Professor Joo Jaewoo (School of Business Administration)
- 26.04.30 / 홍유민
Professor Joo Jaewoo of the School of Business Administration at Kookmin University interviewed Professor Rita McGrath of Columbia Business School.
Rita McGrath, a professor at Columbia Business School and a world-renowned authority on strategic management, has long warned of “strategic inflection points” in her book *Seeing Around Corners*. In a recent SERI CEO interview, Professor Joo Jae-woo of Kookmin University’s School of Business and Professor Rita McGrath agreed that the uncertain juncture we currently face represents a massive trend that goes beyond mere technological advancement to fundamentally transform the foundations of industry.
Professor McGrath defines a strategic inflection point as “a point where changes in the environment cause the range of possibilities to shift by an order of magnitude (10 times) or more.” As speeds, prices, and performance levels that were once impossible become a reality, existing formulas for success quickly become obsolete. At this juncture, rather than simply sticking to existing methods, we must redefine the very premise of “what is possible.”
Professor McGrath cited Hollywood as an example of turning a blind eye to change, highlighting the case of AI actress Tilly Norwood. Tilly is a virtual AI actress represented by an agency, allowing producers to cast her in projects without complex contracts or physical constraints. While Hollywood currently dismisses this as a “horrible development” and emotionally rejects it, Professor McGrath emphasized that this is precisely the kind of “weak signal” we should be paying attention to. When mainstream forces mock or deny new technologies, it is evidence that a massive inflection point is already underway behind the scenes. The emergence of AI actors heralds a shift in creative grammar that goes beyond mere cost savings.
Professor McGrath’s insight urges us to “look beyond what is visible.” Rather than getting bogged down in a futile debate over whether AI actors will replace human actors, we must ask how this phenomenon will transform the business ecosystem and value chain tenfold. A strategic inflection point is a precarious precipice for the unprepared, but for leaders who can read the signals behind it, it will be a window of opportunity to capture new markets.
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This content is translated from Korean to English using the AI translation service DeepL and may contain translation errors such as jargon/pronouns. If you find any, please send your feedback to kookminpr@kookmin.ac.kr so we can correct them.
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Interview with Professor Rita McGrath of Columbia Business School / Professor Joo Jaewoo (School of Business Administration) |
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2026-04-30
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Professor Joo Jaewoo of the School of Business Administration at Kookmin University interviewed Professor Rita McGrath of Columbia Business School. Rita McGrath, a professor at Columbia Business School and a world-renowned authority on strategic management, has long warned of “strategic inflection points” in her book *Seeing Around Corners*. In a recent SERI CEO interview, Professor Joo Jae-woo of Kookmin University’s School of Business and Professor Rita McGrath agreed that the uncertain juncture we currently face represents a massive trend that goes beyond mere technological advancement to fundamentally transform the foundations of industry. Professor McGrath defines a strategic inflection point as “a point where changes in the environment cause the range of possibilities to shift by an order of magnitude (10 times) or more.” As speeds, prices, and performance levels that were once impossible become a reality, existing formulas for success quickly become obsolete. At this juncture, rather than simply sticking to existing methods, we must redefine the very premise of “what is possible.” Professor McGrath cited Hollywood as an example of turning a blind eye to change, highlighting the case of AI actress Tilly Norwood. Tilly is a virtual AI actress represented by an agency, allowing producers to cast her in projects without complex contracts or physical constraints. While Hollywood currently dismisses this as a “horrible development” and emotionally rejects it, Professor McGrath emphasized that this is precisely the kind of “weak signal” we should be paying attention to. When mainstream forces mock or deny new technologies, it is evidence that a massive inflection point is already underway behind the scenes. The emergence of AI actors heralds a shift in creative grammar that goes beyond mere cost savings. Professor McGrath’s insight urges us to “look beyond what is visible.” Rather than getting bogged down in a futile debate over whether AI actors will replace human actors, we must ask how this phenomenon will transform the business ecosystem and value chain tenfold. A strategic inflection point is a precarious precipice for the unprepared, but for leaders who can read the signals behind it, it will be a window of opportunity to capture new markets.
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