GenAI Doesn’t Just Increase Productivity. It Expands Capabilities.
A new BCG experiment reveals that generative AI enables workers to perform complex tasks beyond their current skillset, such as data science work, even without prior coding experience.
Most discussions about generative AI focus on productivity gains—how the technology helps workers complete existing tasks faster. But a groundbreaking experiment by the BCG Henderson Institute shows GenAI does something more profound: it expands what workers can accomplish.
The Capability Expansion Effect
BCG researchers tested whether 480 consultants could use GenAI to complete data science tasks they had never performed before. The results were striking.
Consultants with GenAI access achieved 86% of the benchmark set by professional data scientists on coding tasks. Those without GenAI reached only 29% of the benchmark. Even consultants who had never written code before scored 84% when augmented with GenAI.
“I feel that I’ve become a coder now and I don’t know how to code!” one participant reported. “Yet, I can reach an outcome that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.”
Three Key Findings
Instant Aptitude Expansion
GenAI immediately enabled workers to perform tasks outside their expertise. The effect was strongest for coding, where the technology excels. Participants successfully cleaned datasets, merged files, and identified top customers—complex programming tasks they couldn’t attempt without AI assistance.
Effective Brainstorming Partner
For predictive analytics tasks where neither humans nor AI excelled independently, GenAI served as a powerful brainstorming tool. Participants combined their domain knowledge with the AI’s capabilities to discover new modeling techniques and problem-solving approaches.
Engineering Mindset Matters
Workers with moderate coding experience outperformed novices on all tasks—even those requiring no coding. This suggests that the engineering mindset developed through coding (breaking problems into components, systematic checking) transfers to other GenAI-assisted work.
The Exoskeleton Effect
GenAI functions like an exoskeleton, enabling workers to perform beyond what either human or AI can accomplish alone. However, this capability expansion comes with important caveats:
- Workers weren’t truly “reskilled”—they gained temporary capabilities that disappeared without the AI
- Success required enough background knowledge to supervise AI output
- Performance varied significantly based on the worker’s existing technical mindset
Implications for Leaders
This capability expansion transforms five critical business areas:
Talent Acquisition: The talent pool for skilled knowledge work is expanding. Recruiters should incorporate GenAI into interviews to assess candidates’ augmented capabilities.
Learning and Development: While GenAI provides instant capability boosts, traditional learning remains crucial for career advancement. Companies must protect time for skill development and provide incentives to learn.
Team Structure: Cross-functional teams pairing generalists with experts can maximize GenAI benefits while ensuring quality control. Regular output reviews become essential.
Workforce Planning: Job requirements are blurring. Strategic planning must focus on behavioral skills and change adaptability rather than specific technical knowledge.
Professional Identity: Workers who feel supported by their employers view GenAI positively. In the study, 82% of regular GenAI users felt more confident in their roles.
Managing the Risks
Leaders must address several challenges:
- Workers may not recognize when AI makes errors in unfamiliar domains
- Overconfidence can lead to poor decision-making
- Quality control becomes more complex with expanded worker capabilities
Success requires implementing robust oversight systems and ensuring workers understand both AI capabilities and limitations.
The Future of Work
GenAI represents more than a productivity tool—it’s a capability multiplier that can democratize access to complex knowledge work. Organizations that effectively harness this expansion while managing its risks will gain significant competitive advantages.
The key is viewing GenAI not as a replacement for human expertise, but as an exoskeleton that amplifies human potential across previously inaccessible domains.