- AI is fundamentally changing the working models of top consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, PwC, EY, Deloitte, and Accenture.
- The focus is shifting from short-term consulting projects and slide decks to multi-year AI transformation programs, requiring capabilities in technology construction and operation.
- “Bringing an army of consultants to the client” is no longer effective; firms need a combination of generalists and technology experts.
- The role of tech experts is exploding: Accenture added nearly 40,000 AI and data experts in 2 years, accounting for about 10% of total personnel.
- EY has hired an additional 61,000 technologists since 2023.
- At McKinsey, AI engineer is the fastest-growing position outside of entry-level roles.
- At BCG, software engineer, frontend developer, and Python developer are the fastest-growing entry-level roles.
- BCG X was launched in late 2022 with the goal of “building a tech company inside a consultancy.”
- McKinsey is looking for “5Xers”: individuals deeply skilled in one area but capable in 3–4 others.
- AI currently accounts for about 40% of McKinsey’s workload, led by the QuantumBlack group (1,700 people).
- The entire industry faces a shortage of AI experts, forcing firms to prioritize internal upskilling rather than just new hiring.
- EY deployed 15-hour courses on AI engineering, applied AI, and AI compliance; nearly 100,000 employees (≈25% of the workforce) have received “AI badges.”
- KPMG emphasizes AI literacy and large-scale training rather than restructuring personnel.
- Despite hiring many technologists, most consulting work still requires generalists; the number of traditional consultants globally rose from 250,000 (2022) to 340,000 (2024).
- Soft skills become more important as AI takes over quantitative tasks.
- Firms highly value learning attitude, communication, collaboration, EQ, and the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn quickly.
- Mentioned risks: the current technical proficiency of many personnel remains “very rudimentary,” which could become a strategic weakness if not improved quickly.
📌 AI is fundamentally changing the working models of top consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, PwC, EY, Deloitte, and Accenture. The focus is shifting from short-term consulting projects and slide decks to multi-year AI transformation programs, requiring capabilities in technology construction and operation. Engineers and tech experts are increasing rapidly. Competitive advantage now lies in hybrid personnel: understanding business, knowing how to deploy AI, communicating well, and learning extremely fast. The race is not just about hiring more engineers, but retraining hundreds of thousands of people to consult in the AI era.
