As the consulting industry grapples with the transformative power of artificial intelligence, leaders gathered for Consulting Magazine's 2025 Top Consultants Professional Series to discuss the risks, opportunities, and new strategies required to win in the age of AI.
The Professional Series program preceded the annual awards dinner in New York City June 27, and featured a keynote by Soren Kaplan, Principal and Founder of Innovation Point focused on Flipping Disruption – Winning in the Age of AI; an insight exchange segment on storytelling by Namaan Mian, COO of Management Consulted on Storytelling and Structured Thinking for Senior Consultants in the age of AI; and a panel discussion on Trust, Ethics and AI in Client Relationships with Kelly Nelson, Managing Director, Global Consulting and Chief Marketing Officer for Deloitte, and Tom Edwards, America's Consumer AI Leader with EY, moderated by Kaplan.
The sessions provided a roadmap for consultants, emphasizing that while AI is disrupting traditional business models, it also creates immense opportunities for those who can blend technology with human-centric skills like strategic communication, change management and ethical leadership.
Here are five key takeaways from the event:
1. The Traditional Consulting Model Is Obsolete; Productize Your Expertise
The long-standing consulting model built on billable hours and lengthy slide decks is being fundamentally disrupted by AI. Kaplan argued in his keynote that core consulting tasks like SWOT analyses and data synthesis can now be done by AI in a fraction of the time, commoditizing what was once proprietary knowledge. The path forward requires a shift from selling time to creating and selling scalable, AI-powered products.
Kaplan shared his own experiment of building an AI-powered "Three-Step Strategic Plan" application in just minutes. "It would allow me to sell to 10,000 clients instead of one," Kaplan said. "I'm scaling myself." This product-based approach allows firms to move beyond the time-based leverage model and create new, recurring revenue streams.
2. Master Structured Storytelling to Cut Through the Noise
"To me, storytelling is the quintessential skill of the 21st century," Namaan Mian declared during his insight exchange segment. "It's what sets us apart from the just excel output from ChatGPT output." In an era of information overload, the ability to craft a clear, persuasive narrative is a critical human differentiator that AI cannot replicate. Mian explained that perceived credibility is driven 76% by the structure of communication, not just the content. He urged consultants to adopt the "Answer First" pyramid principle to drive client action.
This approach involves:
- Setting the Context: Frame the discussion using the Situation-Complication-Question (SCQ) model to align everyone on the core problem.
- Leading with the Assertion: Begin with the single most important recommendation or key takeaway.
- Providing Curated Proof: Support the assertion with a maximum of three clear, compelling arguments backed by data.
"People don't need all the information to make the right decision. They need enough information and they need confidence in that information," Mian said. This structured, hypothesis-driven approach focuses clients and gets to the decision point faster.
3. Go All-In on Internal AI Adoption to Lead by Example
To credibly advise clients on AI, consulting firms must first become sophisticated users themselves. The panel stressed the importance of moving beyond experimentation and embedding AI into daily operations to drive efficiency, uncover new opportunities and build institutional expertise.
4. Address Client Fear with Education, Transparency and Tangible Value
Many clients remain hesitant to adopt AI, held back by fear, a lack of understanding, and uncertainty about its value. The panelists agreed that overcoming this requires a proactive, trust-based approach. Edwards noted that the most common client questions are, "How do I get started? Where is value being created? and How can I scale responsibly?"
Consultants must guide clients through this journey with:
- Education: Use masterclasses and hands-on workshops to demystify the technology for senior leaders.
- Demonstration: Employ prototypes and pilot programs to "show, don't tell," making the value of AI tangible.
- Transparency: Be open about the use of AI in deliverables. Nelson noted, "It is important to let everyone to know what we used AI to create. I felt like there was a benefit in that to say, see what is possible."
The rapid advancement of AI introduces significant ethical risks, from automating bias to intellectual property infringement and data privacy breaches. The speakers unanimously agreed that a robust, responsible AI framework is not optional. Edwards called transparency "non-negotiable," emphasizing that "it's always about the human validation of the outputs" and that "auditability is key, human intervention is key." Nelson underscored the ethical imperative of proper attribution, stating, "we don't want to use other people's work without them getting the credit or it being attributed properly." Kaplan pushed the audience to consider deeper questions, asking if the industry is simply using AI to make "broken systems more effective" or if it is being guided by a purpose beyond pure profit. Success requires establishing clear guardrails, ensuring human oversight, and building a culture of accountability.
Summary: Ultimately, the program's message was one of evolution, not replacement. As AI automates the 'what,' top consultants must elevate the 'how' and the 'why'—leading clients into the future not just with better data, but with superior judgment, structured communication and unwavering ethical leadership.
Consulting Magazine extends genuine thanks to all of our faculty for this program.
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