Signal Legacy integration (42%) and organizational resistance (41%) are the top GBS barriers

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey asked leaders what most hinders scaling AI-native global business services. The top obstacle is integration with existing legacy systems, named by 42 percent. Organizational resistance to change is almost as common, at 41 percent. These two rank ahead of talent shortages at 29 percent and lack of investment at 27 percent, with fragmented processes and unclear ownership also cited. The report adds that many organizations have talent footprints matched to today's needs rather than tomorrow's critical skills, creating structural mismatches.