How frontrunning consulting firms are winning with Gen AI at their fingertips
The rise of Generative AI is fundamentally changing how consulting work gets done, how value is delivered to clients, and how consultancies stay competitive. Those are the main conclusions of a new report by LexisNexis, which outlines the top use cases and benefits of Generative AI for consultants, and how it helps firms lead the way.
According to the report ‘How Management Consultants Are Leading the Gen AI Revolution’, 80% of management consultants are already using Gen AI-based tools in their daily tasks, with more than a third reporting that Gen AI contributes to at least 50% of their overall work processes. This high adoption rate reflects not just enthusiasm for new technology, but a sophisticated understanding of Gen AI’s potential to transform consulting work.
When it comes to specific applications, consultants have clear priorities for how they want technology to transform their work. They’re eager to offload three key tasks: data entry and documentation, conducting research and gathering information, and creative content generation such as writing and design
The impact has been transformative. More than half (56%) of the consultants surveyed by LexisNexis told the researchers that they save 3-4 hours daily through Gen AI use – significantly higher than other industries, including financial services (34%) and technology sectors (31%).
Based on the findings of their report, experts from LexisNexis have outlined five key Gen AI lessons that any consulting leader should consider:
Now is not the time to be comfortable
While some firms are embedding Gen AI into their operations and gaining a significant edge, others risk falling behind – not in five years, but within the next 12 months.
As Gen AI adoption accelerates, expectations around speed, insight quality, and delivery standards are rising just as quickly.
According to a 2025 study by Accenture, more than 80% of business leaders report that Gen AI has exceeded their expectations – yet only 13% say they are realizing value at an enterprise-wide level. This gap presents a critical moment for consulting firms: those that move quickly to scale Gen AI effectively stand to capture significant competitive advantage, while those that hesitate risk losing ground to more agile, AI-enabled competitors.
Firms Are Investing in Expertise – Not Just Tools
High adoption alone doesn't guarantee results. What sets leading firms apart is their ongoing commitment to training and transformation.
Consulting firms are moving past basic awareness of Gen AI as over 40% of consultants have received advanced Gen AI training – nearly triple the industry average. Regular upskilling is the norm, with 70% of firms conducting training at least quarterly, positioning Gen AI proficiency as a core component of professional development. In contrast, only 8% of firms report offering no Gen AI training at all – a sharp contrast with the industry-wide average of 28%.
Firms and partners that are slower on the Gen AI adoption curve are right to be concerned they may be falling behind. It means your top competitors are not just experimenting – they’re equipping their people to lead with Gen AI.
The consulting firms that are winning are the ones making Gen AI fluency a non-negotiable skillset, and not a niche competency. They understand that the value comes from people who are trained to use the technology well and consistently, rather than placing value solely in technology alone.
For firms that are yet to follow suit, it is important to understand that without the right training infrastructure, even the best tools will underdeliver – and your teams will underperform.
Productivity Is No Longer Operational – It’s Strategic
In management consulting, time can often be your scarcest resource. How your firm captures and reallocates time has become a strategic lever for differentiation, growth, and client value.
Consultants are saving valuable time with Gen AI in an industry where client work, internal meetings, and business development constantly compete for attention.
Gen AI is automating time-intensive work that is well overdue for greater efficiency – tasks like data entry, research, and drafting documents. In doing so, it’s enabling consultants to focus on higher-value strategic activities like refining recommendations, engaging directly with clients, and shaping the direction of the business.
This shift isn’t hypothetical – it’s happening now. As consultants free up their schedules, they’re spending more time on work that enhances client trust and unlocks new opportunities. And with 84% of consultants expressing a strong preference for creative and strategic work over routine analysis, Gen AI is aligning productivity with professional motivation.
Firms that adapt and embed Gen AI across their operations are building faster-moving, insight-driven teams – and delivering more value, more often. Those that don’t risk falling behind in responsiveness, relevance, and revenue.
Early Adoption Isn’t Enough – It’s Time to Scale
Early wins are easy. Enterprise-wide transformation is hard. But management consulting firms are uniquely positioned to lead because they’re not just dabbling – they’re incorporating Gen AI into high-value workflows like research, due diligence, and summarization. They’re also investing in consistent, deep training and taking a deliberate approach to data quality, transparency, and ethical safeguards.
This shows that Gen AI is being actively embedded into core consulting processes, not just peripheral tasks. But even among these early adopters, scaling to consistent, enterprise-wide value demands more than tool access.
Strategic implementation is key. Therefore, leading firms are building deliberate frameworks around:
- Consistent, firm-wide training
- Ethical safeguards, including AI transparency, auditability, and data quality
- Workflow integration that aligns Gen AI use with high-impact, client-facing work
For firms not yet at this stage, the risk is falling into the “pilot trap” – where Gen AI is present, but its value remains under-leveraged. Adapting now means moving beyond adoption to operationalization and integrating Gen AI into the core of how your firm works, delivers, and competes.
Standing Still Means Falling Behind
Every day of inaction is a day when competitors are becoming sharper, faster, and of more value to clients. In a fast-moving market, firms that fail to move beyond experimentation are falling behind.
Consultants who use Gen AI daily are already reporting higher productivity (82%) and greater job satisfaction (53%), transforming how they work and how they feel about the work they do. Firms that aren’t investing in these capabilities and hesitate to use Gen AI in workflows risk more than inefficiency. They risk losing talent and may struggle to meet client expectations.
Frontrunning firms in a tight market aren’t just exploring Gen AI – they’re operationalizing it. They’re setting new expectations for delivery, value, and pace. Waiting, in this context, is a strategic risk – one that partners, and firm leaders can’t afford to take lightly.
Conclusion
Consultants have established themselves as pioneers in Gen AI adoption, with 82% reporting increased productivity and 56% saving 3-4 hours daily through AI integration. The benefits are crystal clear – the firms that act now to ingrain Gen AI into their identity will not only stand out from those that don’t but may also define the next era of consulting.
