What Strategy Leaders Should Take From That
For years, the question was:
Will AI replace consultants?
But OpenAI just quietly answered a more important one:
What if we become the consultants?
Their newly launched consulting arm targets $10 million+ enterprise contracts — embedding engineers directly into client operations, fine‑tuning models on messy workflows, and locking in multi‑year deals.
This isn’t just a side play. It’s a bold move into territory traditionally owned by MBB and top‑tier strategy boutiques — and a clear signal of how consulting is changing.
Because what OpenAI is selling now isn’t software.
It’s outcomes.
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What’s happening?
OpenAI has unveiled a high‑touch consulting business designed to help enterprise clients embed AI directly into their operations. This is not traditional enterprise sales — this is full‑scale delivery.
They’ve adopted a model that mirrors Palantir’s: deploying so‑called forward‑deployed engineers to fine‑tune models, build custom applications, and work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with client teams.
It’s already producing big wins — a reported $200M Pentagon contract and a regional AI mapping initiative with Grab are early examples of the approach.
And it comes at a premium. The minimum ticket to engage OpenAI’s consulting arm? $10 million.
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Why does it matter for strategy consultants and hiring leaders?
Because OpenAI just proved something the best consulting firms already know:
Clients don’t pay for knowledge alone — they pay for execution that sticks.
Here’s what stands out:
→ Redefining the consultant
Instead of slide decks and recommendations, OpenAI is embedding engineers and PMs into client workflows — delivering change, not just designing it.
→ Learning what MBB already knew
Clients trust those who get close enough to ensure outcomes. Once you’re embedded deeply enough, switching you out becomes almost impossible.
→ Competing for the workflow
Consulting’s biggest strategic advantage has always been owning how decisions actually get implemented. OpenAI is challenging that by pairing its generative AI with delivery muscle.
And, most telling:
AI is already squeezing the middle of the market.
We’ve seen it before:
→ Elite firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG remain trusted advisors where judgement and influence matter most.
→ The low‑end transactional work was outsourced long ago.
→ The middle — high‑volume, repeatable, process‑heavy work — is now being commoditised by AI.
Being big and repeatable is no longer enough.
You have to own the top — or embed yourself at the heart of delivery.
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What’s the takeaway for strategy leaders?
→ Your edge has never just been analysis — it’s been your ability to embed change into the client’s business.
→ The firms — and leaders — who continue to win will be those who secure the last mile, delivering outcomes, not just insight.
→Consulting isn’t just a revenue stream anymore — it’s a moat. A way to lock in clients, defend margins, and stay indispensable.
OpenAI just proved what strategy leaders have always known — those who deliver, own the boardroom.
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.
