Table of Contents
- The “25 Squared” Strategy: Humans + AI at Scale
- AI in consulting: Reshaping Job Roles from Back Office to Boardroom
- What’s Growing—and What’s Shrinking?
- The Human Edge in an AI Era: Judgment, Creativity, Trust
- Broader Implications for the Professional Services Industry
- Conclusion: Not Replacement—But Reconfiguration
- Sources
In a quiet but seismic shift within the world of high-stakes advisory work, McKinsey & Company—the gold standard of global management consulting—is undergoing a radical transformation driven by artificial intelligence. According to firm leader Bob Sternfels, McKinsey now operates with **25,000 AI agents** working side-by-side with its 40,000 human consultants. And this isn’t just a pilot program—it’s the new operating model. With AI expected to reach parity with human staff soon, the firm’s so-called “25 squared” approach is redefining what it means to be a consultant in the 2020s .
At the heart of this change lies a critical insight: AI in consulting isn’t about replacing people—it’s about reallocating them. Routine, non-client-facing tasks are being automated at scale, freeing up human talent to focus on what machines still can’t do: exercise judgment, build trust, and solve ambiguous, high-stakes problems. But what does this mean for aspiring consultants, mid-career professionals, and the broader professional services ecosystem?
The “25 Squared” Strategy: Humans + AI at Scale
McKinsey’s internal shorthand—“25 squared”—refers to the synergy between its 25,000 human consultants and 25,000 AI agents (a number projected to match its human headcount imminently). This isn’t science fiction; it’s operational reality. These AI agents handle millions of hours of repetitive work annually: data cleaning, slide formatting, market scanning, and initial research synthesis .
The result? A dramatic boost in productivity. Tasks that once took days can now be completed in hours. But more importantly, this efficiency gain isn’t just saving costs—it’s enabling deeper, more strategic client engagements. As Sternfels puts it, “We’re not using AI to cut jobs. We’re using it to elevate the work.”
AI in consulting: Reshaping Job Roles from Back Office to Boardroom
The most striking revelation from Sternfels’ comments is the divergent trajectory of roles within the firm:
- Non-client-facing roles are shrinking. Positions focused on internal support, data entry, basic analytics, and administrative coordination are being rapidly automated. These were often seen as entry points into the industry—but their relevance is fading.
- Client-facing roles are growing by 25%. Demand is surging for consultants who can interpret AI-generated insights, challenge assumptions, co-create solutions with executives, and navigate complex organizational dynamics .
This bifurcation signals a fundamental shift in skill valuation. Technical proficiency alone is no longer enough. The premium is now on “uniquely human” capabilities.
What’s Growing—and What’s Shrinking?
To make this concrete, here’s a snapshot of the evolving consulting landscape at elite firms like McKinsey:
| Declining Roles | Emerging/Growing Roles |
|---|---|
| Data clerks & junior analysts (routine) | AI-augmented strategy consultants |
| Slide production specialists | Client relationship architects |
| Basic market researchers | Change management & implementation leads |
| Internal process coordinators | Ethics & AI governance advisors |
Notice a pattern? The future belongs to those who can **partner with AI**, not compete against it. The bottleneck is no longer information—it’s insight, influence, and execution.
The Human Edge in an AI Era: Judgment, Creativity, Trust
AI may generate 100 strategic options in seconds—but only a human can decide which one aligns with a CEO’s risk appetite, company culture, and long-term vision. This is where the real value lies.
Sternfels emphasizes three irreplaceable human skills:
- Judgment: Knowing which data matters and which is noise.
- Creativity: Designing novel solutions to unprecedented challenges.
- Trust-building: Earning the confidence of leaders during moments of uncertainty.
These are not soft skills—they’re strategic differentiators. And they’re why top-tier consulting firms are doubling down on hiring for emotional intelligence, communication, and intellectual curiosity, even as they automate technical tasks .
Broader Implications for the Professional Services Industry
McKinsey’s move is a bellwether. Competitors like BCG, Bain, and Deloitte are racing to deploy similar AI co-pilot systems. The entire professional services sector—from law to accounting to advertising—is facing the same reckoning.
For job seekers, this means the traditional career ladder is being rewired. A strong GPA and Excel mastery won’t cut it anymore. Candidates must demonstrate they can **leverage AI to amplify their impact**, not just follow templates. For firms, the challenge is cultural: how to integrate AI without eroding the human-centric ethos that clients pay millions for.
As noted by Harvard Business Review, the firms that succeed will be those that treat AI as a “collaborative intelligence” tool—not just a cost cutter .
Conclusion: Not Replacement—But Reconfiguration
So, are consulting jobs disappearing? Not exactly. They’re being **reconfigured**. The era of the “back-office analyst” is waning, but the demand for strategic, empathetic, and AI-fluent advisors has never been higher. McKinsey’s experiment shows that AI in consulting isn’t a threat—it’s a catalyst for evolution. The winners will be those who embrace augmentation over automation and lead with humanity in a machine-assisted world. For more on how AI is transforming white-collar work, check out our deep dive on [INTERNAL_LINK:future-of-white-collar-jobs]. You can also explore global workforce trends through the [EXTERNAL_LINK:https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025] World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report.
Sources
- [1] The Times of India. “McKinsey boss Bob Sternfels breaks down how AI is changing consulting jobs.” January 2026. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/mckinsey-boss-bob-sternfels-breaks-down-how-ai-is-changing-consulting-jobs-non-client-facing-roles-are-shrinking-and-jobs-that-are-growing-are/articleshow/126461541.cms
- [2] McKinsey & Company. “The State of AI in Professional Services.” Internal Briefings, 2025.
- [3] Harvard Business Review. “Collaborative Intelligence: Humans and AI as Partners.” https://hbr.org/2024/09/collaborative-intelligence-humans-and-ai-as-partners
- [4] World Economic Forum. “The Future of Jobs Report 2025.” https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025