In a time of deep industrial transformation, when artificial intelligence is reshaping the very foundations of the knowledge economy, one question keeps emerging:
does business consulting still make sense?
The answer is yes — more than ever.
The Pressures on the Consulting Model
Several trends seem to challenge the traditional role of consultancies:
- AI democratizes knowledge. Access to specialized insights and market intelligence — once the domain of consultants — is now faster and cheaper through AI tools.
- Corporates are internalizing skills. Companies are increasingly able to build internal capabilities that rival consulting firms, while cost pressure narrows the compensation gap.
- Core competencies stay in-house. Businesses are cautious about outsourcing strategic thinking, making consultants’ work appear peripheral in some contexts.
- Public procurement compresses margins. Public tenders for consulting projects often focus on price, reducing quality and increasing reputational risk for both supplier and client.
These shifts don’t destroy the consulting model — they redefine it.
The Redefinition of Consulting
Like every transformative technology before it, AI creates vast project opportunities.
It also changes team composition, with automation reducing the need for large junior layers and emphasizing senior, strategic talent.
Yet, one thing remains untouched: the human relationship.
Consulting is built on trust, empathy, and the ability to establish a dialogue that automation cannot replace.
Consultants still bring fresh air into organizations.
They connect dots across industries, challenge assumptions, and offer an “outsider’s view” that sparks transformation.
That perspective — shaped by diverse experiences — remains a unique source of value.
The Human Edge
Consulting continues to attract the intellectually curious: people who learn fast, adapt faster, and enjoy complexity.
This mindset gives consultancies a sustainable edge in times of change, allowing them to turn disruption into cultural and business opportunity.
The Rise of the Individual Brand
Another structural evolution is underway: the rise of personal and team-level brand identity within large consulting organizations.
The ease of publishing and sharing expertise allows professionals to build visibility and authority — turning consultancies into federations of recognized experts rather than anonymous corporate entities.
In Conclusion
Despite the noise, the core promise of the consulting industry — delivering good value for money by accelerating clarity and change — has never been stronger.
AI will automate tasks, not insight.
And as long as businesses face complex problems, consulting will continue to matter — not less, but more.