Thanks for the article — I agree that AI is becoming an important factor in how consulting firms think about cost and delivery models.
That said, I’m increasingly cautious about taking “AI-driven layoffs” at face value, and I’m missing something very concrete in this discussion.
Could you point to specific, real-world use cases where AI systems have actually replaced whole consulting roles end-to-end? Not pilot projects, not internal productivity tools, but situations where AI materially removed the need for human consultants rather than just changing how they work.
From what I see inside large organizations, AI is often used as a headline explanation for layoffs that look very similar to previous waves of “rightsizing”, “process optimization”, or “cost discipline”. The label changes; the underlying dynamics often don’t.
If AI truly is the driver here, it would be helpful to understand where exactly the displacement is happening:
– Which tasks?
– Which consulting profiles?
– Which client-facing outcomes are now delivered by AI alone?
Without that level of specificity, “AI” risks becoming a convenient scapegoat rather than a demonstrated causal mechanism. I’m genuinely curious whether you’re seeing concrete examples beyond the headlines.
Great article - makes a complex topic feel accessible. The consulting industry has felt overpriced for years, so this shift seems inevitable. Thanks for the clear breakdown.
I have been living this reality, and the "Adapt" part is tricky right now because its is SO dynamic and incredibly multi-faceted. Been doing this for 30 years and there just has been no comparable disruption!
I have been living this reality, and the "Adapt" part is tricky right now because its is SO dynamic and incredibly multi-faceted. Been doing this for 30 years and there just has been no comparable disruption!
Thanks for the article — I agree that AI is becoming an important factor in how consulting firms think about cost and delivery models.
That said, I’m increasingly cautious about taking “AI-driven layoffs” at face value, and I’m missing something very concrete in this discussion.
Could you point to specific, real-world use cases where AI systems have actually replaced whole consulting roles end-to-end? Not pilot projects, not internal productivity tools, but situations where AI materially removed the need for human consultants rather than just changing how they work.
From what I see inside large organizations, AI is often used as a headline explanation for layoffs that look very similar to previous waves of “rightsizing”, “process optimization”, or “cost discipline”. The label changes; the underlying dynamics often don’t.
If AI truly is the driver here, it would be helpful to understand where exactly the displacement is happening:
– Which tasks?
– Which consulting profiles?
– Which client-facing outcomes are now delivered by AI alone?
Without that level of specificity, “AI” risks becoming a convenient scapegoat rather than a demonstrated causal mechanism. I’m genuinely curious whether you’re seeing concrete examples beyond the headlines.
As long as your CEO still has a tennis buddy who’s starting a consulting business, we will continue to have to put up with the nonsense.
Yes
That’s why we recently decided to shift REKOLT from AI-assisted consultants to human-assisted consulting agents (humans supervising AI execution)
And we won’t be using that productivity gain to increase our margins, we will pass these economies on to clients and increase throughput
Great article - makes a complex topic feel accessible. The consulting industry has felt overpriced for years, so this shift seems inevitable. Thanks for the clear breakdown.
I have been living this reality, and the "Adapt" part is tricky right now because its is SO dynamic and incredibly multi-faceted. Been doing this for 30 years and there just has been no comparable disruption!
I have been living this reality, and the "Adapt" part is tricky right now because its is SO dynamic and incredibly multi-faceted. Been doing this for 30 years and there just has been no comparable disruption!
Why only a tenth?
incisive!
Great article !!