The Specialist AI That Could Upend the Big Four's Consulting Model

The effort by firms like Mercor to train AI on consulting-specific tasks marks a strategic inflection point for professional services. This moves beyond using general AI as a productivity tool, signaling a new phase where AI performs core analytical work previously done by junior consultants. The involvement of former Big Four talent lends credibility to this venture, framing it not as a tech experiment but a direct challenge to the industry’s established, human-centric operational model.

This trend puts immense pressure on the legacy consulting giants—Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG—whose business models rely heavily on leveraging junior talent for high-margin analytical work. For clients, this could mean faster, more affordable access to strategic insights, shifting the basis of competition. The core challenge for incumbents will be adapting their entrenched, pyramid-shaped talent structures to a future where AI handles the foundational analysis they have long monetized.