By David S. Duncan, Tyler Anderson, and Jeffrey Saviano – Harvard Business Review, September 2025
Artificial intelligence is not just a tool for consultants—it is transforming the very structure of consulting firms. According to Duncan, Anderson, and Saviano, AI is reshaping how firms organize, deliver value, and engage with clients.
Traditionally, consulting has relied on a pyramid model of partners, managers, and associates, with large teams performing research and analysis. AI now automates much of this work—data collection, benchmarking, and even strategy simulation—flattening the pyramid and reducing reliance on junior consultants. This shift is leading firms toward leaner, more networked structures, where senior experts and AI systems work together to deliver insights faster and more efficiently.
The authors argue that AI empowers firms to move from reactive problem-solving to continuous, predictive strategy, offering clients real-time solutions and governance models rather than episodic reports. It also enables new business models: subscription-based advisory services, AI-enhanced platforms, and partnerships that merge technology with human expertise.
For the BGF–AIWS Family, this evolution highlights a broader truth: AI is not only transforming industries, but also the culture of leadership and governance. As consulting firms adopt flatter, AI-integrated structures, they become a model for how institutions—including governments—can adapt to the AIWS Government 24/7 framework: continuous, ethical, and responsive service in the Age of AI.
https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-is-changing-the-structure-of-consulting-firms
