Is the future in consulting is more about strategy consulting or operations strategy? Which field is more negatively impacted by AI and is it true MBB firms transforming more into operations strategy or looking into skills of operations strategy?

Don't believe everything you read over LinkedIn. :)

AI does not negatively impact neither. 

First, because it doesn't touch the core of their consulting offers (and, on the other hand, adds additional complexity, which is great for consultants). It is at the most a very good tool that will make them more productive and provide an even better service.

Of course, there is the odd consulting firm that sells superficial advice, shallow research, and basic advice. Well, those will be negatively impacted by AI, for sure. But they were already set to be replaced by better competitors, so AI just accelerates the downfall

Second, it help provide MORE value at a LOWER Cost. This is not negative for consultants, quite the contrary. It means that 1) they become even more valuable and / or 2) they become affordable to more clients.

Where you may see a relevant difference is in some types of MANAGEMENT consulting, particularly regarding things like process improvement.

Hi,

• The future of consulting: will involve both strategy and operations, but firms are increasingly looking for people who can bridge the two, strategic thinking with operational follow-through.
• Impact: Pure strategy roles (market entry, growth, etc.) are more at risk of AI disruption due to automation of analysis, while operations strategy (implementation, transformation, supply chain) is harder to automate and remains in high demand.
• MBB approach: MBB is evolving toward more end-to-end work, including digital transformation, implementation, and ops-heavy topics, so having strong operational strategy skills is a growing advantage.

Hi,

I think there will be a need to focus on both Strategy and Operations - Business needs will always require both because AI will not be able to "take over" the development of both. 

As such, I also don't see AI as a negative impact, but rather as a tool:
a tool that can, for example, increase the pace of strategy formulation and visualization, and a tool to find reference cases for operations. A tool to use. 

MBBs will always adapt to relevant technology. Remember, McKinsey was founded in the 1920s, and the first PCs were only released in the 1970s -
so whatever happens with technology and business needs, MBB or the consulting industry as a whole will adapt.

That's an interesting question - I'm sure AI has also an interesting answer for it. 

My expectations is that stratey will be less affected because it has to do more with the cultural and company-level specificities of the client that will be difficult to integrate into a recommendation by an external agent like ChatGPT. 

But will see what the future has to hold.

Best,
Cristian

Hey there 👋
Great question! The future of consulting is shifting, but both strategy consulting and operations strategy will continue to play key roles. However, the focus is indeed changing, especially with AI and automation on the rise.

1. Strategy vs. Operations Strategy:
   • Strategy consulting will always be crucial for long-term vision, business models, and market positioning.
   • Operations strategy is becoming more significant as companies look to optimize processes, leverage AI, and integrate tech to improve efficiency.
2. AI Impact:
   • Operations strategy may be more impacted by AI, as a lot of tasks in this area (like process automation, optimization, and predictive analytics) are becoming automated 🤖.
   • Strategy consulting, while influenced by AI, will likely see more augmented changes where consultants use AI tools for better decision-making, not replace the thinking process.
3. MBB Focus:
   MBB firms are adapting to AI and tech, moving toward a broader focus on operations—helping clients implement digital transformation, optimize processes, and manage large-scale changes with tech-driven strategies. They’re increasingly looking for skills in digital transformation and operations strategy alongside traditional strategy skills.

If you're interested in these shifts, we can discuss how to position yourself for success in both areas! 💬

Best, Alessa

Hi there! 

Very good questions. 

I expect the often repeated claim that AI will profoundly impact most/all sectors will prove to be correct. Moreover I would expect the impact on consulting to be particularly high. 

A few specific impacts come to mind: 

1. As AI impacts all / most sectors it adds complexity and changes competitive dynamics - both will be tailwinds for strategy consulting. For example, MBB already has material part of their pieces related to AI (admittedly AI related work is being defined generously)

2. AI is going to unbundle the current model of consulting. What I mean: Today, they hire entry-level staff both as a necessity to deliver the projects and as a future Partner pipeline. Over time AI will reduce the need for (certain) entry-level staff. I.e. where in the past you needed a team of 3 consultants to deliver a piece of work, in future 1-2 consultants can achieve the same (yes, there will be many cases where the scope of work and expectations will expand to counter this dynamic to some degree) 

3. Adding to what I described above, having experience and expertise will matter even more. The value you can get out of a system like OpenAI Deep Research grows dramatically, if you can give it detailed prompts (based on industry experience - e.g. which dynamics to focus on) and if you can judge which pieces are unreliable (because it hallucinated) or are missing (because the internet has little data on a particular sector / company). Very similar to the dynamic of a experiences consultant / Partner giving direction / reviewing work of a entry-level Associate. 

4. Less differentiated consulting firms will increasingly compete with internal teams that have been "upskilled" by offerings like OpenAI Deep Research. That offering is currently performing at roughly a mediocre Summer Intern, but it is fair to expect significant improvements of the technology. I.e. will likely outperform an entry-level Associate soon. 

5. Adoption of AI will be significant differentiator for consulting staff. You had a leg up, if you knew Excel and PPT shortcuts. The impact of "optimal" AI usage on performance and productivity will be 10x that.  

To your specific question of strategy consulting vs. operations strategy, I expect the impacts over the next 5-10 years to be so significant that any smaller differences between strategy and operations will be insignificant. 

So what I think this means for you: 

a. Use these AI tools and learn how to take full advantage of it. Over the next few years it will be like a cheat code (and over time will (quickly) become table stakes) 

b. Develop expertise - whether in a sector or function or both 

c. Soft skills will matter even more. Once AI can generate as an analysis as good as yours, skills like relationship building with a client will be even more important 

Yes, I expect this to be a wild ride for all of us :) 

Cheers,

Andreas