Agentic AI is disrupting consulting firms

This shift impacts how firms train professionals, price their services, and manage confidential information. Historically, the pyramid model served as a training ground, teaching young consultants to dissect complex problems and transform information into actionable insights, thereby supplying private companies with skilled managers. However, with AI automating entry-level tasks, the legal sector, a parallel field, shows a trend towards hiring more immediately operational profiles, as evidenced by US law firms recruiting fewer recent graduates in 2025 compared to previous years.

The value proposition of consulting is also changing. While firms traditionally billed for qualified time, the speed of AI in research and synthesis makes this model harder to justify. Value is now measured by the quality of diagnosis, robustness of scenarios, and execution capabilities.

BCG, for instance, now uses performance-based pricing for three-quarters of its large AI projects. Confidentiality is another critical aspect. Consulting deals with sensitive client data, necessitating secure, organized AI systems rather than relying solely on rented solutions.

Kirkland & Ellis's planned $500 million investment in its own AI platform highlights this need. Furthermore, firms must transform their accumulated experience into