How AI Is Reshaping the Consulting Landscape

A New Dawn for Consulting — Insight Without Barriers — And Businesses Everywhere Are Benefiting

For decades, the world’s largest organisations instinctively turned to the world’s largest consultancies. The Big 4, McKinsey, BCG and their peers became shorthand for deep expertise, strategic clarity and unquestioned credibility.

That model worked brilliantly for enterprises with equally large budgets. Yet for scale‑ups, SMEs and mission‑driven non‑profits, high‑quality strategic insight often remained out of reach. Advisory boards were stocked with well‑meaning generalists, incubators provided access but rarely concrete answers, and six‑figure slide decks were simply unattainable.

A Structural Shift, Not a Passing Trend

Today, the consultancy market is undergoing its most significant transformation in half a century. Three forces are driving the change:

1. AI‑Powered Insight at Scale
   The global market for AI‑driven consulting services is expanding at more than 26 % CAGR and is projected to exceed $73 billion by 2033. Automated data gathering and analysis compress weeks of manual research into minutes, lowering both cost and time‑to‑insight.

2. Demand for Actionable Intelligence
   Organisations increasingly ask whether they need a room full of experts or simply the right answers, delivered in a format that accelerates decisions. Leaders want clarity, benchmarking and confidence — not 100‑slide decks.

3. Hybrid Human‑Machine Models
   Modern platforms pair algorithmic speed with subject‑matter specialists who contextualise the output. It is not automation instead of people; it is automation plus people, working faster and more accurately together.

What This Means for Organisations of Every Size

• Faster Strategy Cycles — Insight can now surface in hours, not weeks and months, allowing teams to access data before market conditions shift.

• Broader Accessibility — High‑quality benchmarking is no longer reserved for Fortune 500 budgets; early‑stage founders and smaller business leaders can evaluate positioning with the same rigour.

• Smarter Capital Allocation — When the cost of understanding a market drops, resources can be redirected from research to execution.

In short, the playing field is levelling. Deep insight is becoming a utility rather than a luxury.

It’s Not About Replacing Consultants — It’s About Replacing Assumptions

Traditional consulting assumed that transformative insight had to be slow, expensive and delivered by large on‑site teams. The new reality challenges that view:

• Speed over Slides — Data pipelines and AI models can identify competitive gaps in real time.

• Evidence over Eloquence — Decision‑makers prioritise hard metrics and peer benchmarks over narrative‑heavy presentations.

• Collaboration over Control — Digital platforms invite internal teams to explore findings interactively, making strategy a participatory sport.

Who Benefits — And Who Risks Falling Behind?

Organisations that embrace hybrid, tech‑enabled consulting stand to move faster, allocate capital more effectively and out‑learn competitors. Those clinging to legacy models may discover that the true cost of insight isn’t what they pay a consultancy — it’s the opportunity cost of acting too late.

Have Your Say

How do you think you and your organization will  approach strategic insight in 2025? Share your perspective in this two‑minute survey:

Your responses will shape a follow‑up piece exploring how leaders across industries are adapting — or not — to this new era of consulting.

Thanks for reading. We look forward to your insights!