Notable founders who started in consulting include Sundar Pichai and Sheryl Sandberg, illustrating the career crossover into technology and leadership.

AI is reshaping the consulting industry, pushing firms to rethink offerings, pricing, and workforce strategies while also influencing how startups and investors approach strategic work.

Consulting firms are adopting AI for research, building AI-enabled services, and experimenting with new pricing models, including outcome-based pricing.

Industry leaders are responding by creating internal AI tools, expanding AI-driven services, and partnering with AI startups to stay ahead.

O’Leary argues long-term executive success may hinge more on operating experience than advisory background, signaling a shift in leadership criteria.

The shift to AI-enabled decision-making has accelerated over the past two years, marking rapid real-world adoption.

Accenture laid off about 12,000 employees in three months to address retraining challenges for AI capabilities, underscoring talent disruption tied to the AI transition.

For investors, AI adoption translates into lower operating costs, higher productivity, and faster decision-making, implying earnings growth potential beyond tech.

O’Leary contends that portfolio companies increasingly bypass traditional consultants, turning to AI for strategic decisions and problem-solving.

He says AI enables companies to perform analysis and decision-making in-house, reducing reliance on external advisors.

O’Leary notes that AI use precedes hiring external consultants due to faster, cheaper insights for targeted questions.

BCG reports AI/tech services exceeding 40% of revenue with strong growth, while McKinsey’s generative AI tool Lilly handles half a million requests monthly and is used by most staff.