Five ways Gen AI is boosting day-to-day management consulting work
Over eight in ten consultants now use generative AI in daily work. Many say it contributes to at least half of their processes, and a majority report saving 3-4 hours per day. That time goes straight into higher-value thinking: sharper analysis, faster decisions, stronger recommendations.
Here are five practical ways Gen AI is paying off in day-to-day consulting, plus the specific impact teams are reporting.
1) Automating market and industry research
Before any engagement, clients expect instant context: sector dynamics, competitor moves, and trend lines. Gen AI can turn focused prompts into useful research briefs in minutes, pulling together market size, growth outlook, and key players so teams can spend their time on judgment, not gathering.
- Quick prompt structure: "Summarize the [market] in [region]: size, 3-year growth, top 5 players, recent regulatory shifts, and 3 risks/opportunities."
Report insight: 56% of consultants say Gen AI has improved decision-making, while 55% cite increased efficiency.
2) Accelerating the creation of client deliverables
Turning insights into decks and reports is still human-led, but first drafts no longer need to be a slog. Gen AI can assemble slide outlines, executive summaries, and chart narratives that consultants then refine to fit the client and the story.
Think of it as a junior analyst for draft zero. You get structure and momentum fast, so more time goes into pressure-testing assumptions and ensuring recommendations are actionable.
3) Extracting insights from transcripts, reports, and filings
Annual reports, call transcripts, and regulatory filings can run hundreds of pages. Gen AI can do the first pass: summarize multi-year filings, pull key metrics, and call out changes that warrant a closer look.
This shifts hours of reading into minutes of review. Consultants can then focus on implications and the call to action for the client.
Report insight: Consultants using Gen AI report saving 3-4 hours per day, much of it previously spent on document review.
4) Monitoring news and market developments at scale
Clients expect you to surface what matters and ignore the noise. Gen AI can scan broad news flows and deliver concise, sector-specific briefs-flagging M&A, competitive moves, regulatory changes, or leadership shifts that affect your client's position.
That means faster signal, less reading, and more time to assess impact and next steps.
Report insight: 56% of consultants say Gen AI improves decision-making by distilling large volumes of information into client-relevant insights.
5) Analyzing and synthesizing client data
Sales, customer behavior, operations, finance-large datasets hide the story you need to tell. Gen AI can scan and summarize trends, segment differences, anomalies, and seasonality to point teams at the right questions immediately.
Instead of wrestling with spreadsheets, consultants spend more time interpreting findings and translating them into clear, prioritized actions.
Report insight: 55% of consultants say Gen AI significantly increases efficiency, enabling more time for high-value strategic work.
What this means for managers
Make Gen AI part of the workflow, not a side project. Pick one routine task per team-research briefs, first-draft slides, document summaries, or news scans-and standardize how Gen AI supports the first pass.
- Set review standards and data handling rules to keep quality high and client data safe.
- Track time saved and decision speed to show tangible impact.
- Upskill your team so everyone uses common prompt patterns and quality checks.
If you want structured upskilling for consulting teams, explore practical programs at Complete AI Training.
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