Consulting isn’t disappearing. AI is transforming the pyramid into the ‘new model’ – leaner, faster, and anchored in judgment and trust.
The old model: Juniors built the base, managers held the middle, and partners sat at the top.
The shift with AI: AI does the grunt work, the base gets slimmer, and humans focus on judgment and creativity.
The new model: Layers are thinner but stronger, teams are leaner and faster, and more value is delivered with fewer people.
The Debate Swings Between Extremes
As Harvard Business Review notes, the conversation about AI in consulting often polarises:
→ Some argue AI will render consultants obsolete.
→ Others claim it will only make them more indispensable.
Both views miss the point. Consulting isn’t disappearing – it’s being rebuilt.
What That Rebuild Looks Like
→ Smaller, sharper teams. AI is automating the routine tasks that once filled weeks of junior consultants. Seniors now lead leaner pods with more direct client impact.
→ New career paths. The old apprenticeship ladder slows, but new roles are emerging: AI facilitators, adoption coaches, and product leaders who design and refine workflows.
→ Stronger economics. Less pyramid overhead means healthier margins and more flexible delivery models.
→ Internal AI labs. Most firms are building dedicated functions to test how AI speeds delivery, sharpens insights, and frees consultants for creativity, judgment, and client engagement.
Why Firms Are Still Hired
A senior partner summed it up well: there is risk, but more opportunity. AI accelerates delivery, but it cannot replace why consultants are really brought in:
→ Giving executives confidence to act on high-stakes moves.
→ Validating decisions so leaders can align their organisations and move faster.
→ Providing informed perspectives on competitors, suppliers, and customers.
→ Unlocking progress where internal politics would otherwise stall action.
The Rise of the New Model
HBR describes a new model: the consulting obelisk. Unlike the traditional pyramid, the obelisk is tall and narrow – fewer layers, more leverage at each level.
It is built around three core human roles:
→ AI facilitators: early-career consultants fluent in data pipelines and AI workflows.
→ Engagement architects: experienced consultants who frame problems, interpret outputs, and orchestrate delivery.
→ Client leaders: senior partners who cultivate trust, guide long-term decisions, and stay close to executive sponsors.
This structure reflects where many partners want to go – leaner, AI-enabled delivery where the expert partner remains the fulcrum of the business. No change at the top.
The Deeper Issue
Most firms today are bolting AI onto the old pyramid instead of re-architecting from first principles.
That may preserve margins in the short term. But over time it opens the door for smaller, AI-native firms to move faster, operate leaner, and offer clients more value with fewer people.
The Hard Truth and the Opportunity
→ The middle layers of “analysis for analysis’ sake” will shrink.
→ Firms that pivot now – rebuilding structure and redefining roles – will shape the next model.
→ Consultants who double down on judgment, framing, persuasion, and leadership will build career equity that AI cannot replace.
The future looks less like global pyramids – and more like agile pods of senior consultants working in close coordination with proprietary AI tools to deliver high-speed, high-quality strategy support.
The firms and consultants who adapt will set the pace – faster, leaner, and anchored in trust.
This post comments on:
Harvard Business Review: AI Is Changing the Structure of Consulting Firms
10-September 2025
Ben Appleton is the founder of Strat-Bridge, a specialist executive search partner to the strategy consulting industry. He works with global consulting firms and senior leaders across the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and beyond — helping them build capability at the Partner and Director level.
