The Managed Stack

One of the hot debates of our times in the AI-era is the consulting business and AI’s impact on it. My basic philosophy has always been to treat AI as Augmented Intelligence, not purely Artificial Intelligence.

Below is my take on the consulting business using AI:

Human business and technology management consulting is often better than purely AI-driven consulting in situations where context, trust, and judgment matter most. The advantage isn’t that AI is weak, it’s that organizations are complex, human systems.

Here’s how in-person consulting excels.

𝟭. 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮)
AI works from available data and patterns. Human consultants absorb implicit context that rarely exists in datasets:

• Organisational politics and power dynamics
• Unspoken priorities and fears of leaders
• Cultural norms, incentives, and history
• Contradictions between what people say and what they do

In-person consultants notice tone, hesitation, body language, and group dynamics – signals AI cannot reliably interpret.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
Major business and technology decisions require buy-in, not just analysis.

• Executives trust people who challenge them in real time
• Teams accept change more readily from humans they respect
• Sensitive topics (layoffs, failed projects, governance issues) require discretion

Trust is relational, not algorithmic. In-person consultants earn it through presence, accountability, and reputation.

𝟯. 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
AI is excellent at optimisation and pattern recognition – but weak when:

• The problem has no precedent
• Trade-offs are ethical, political, or reputational
• Data is incomplete or misleading

Human consultants apply experience-based judgment, balancing risk, timing, and stakeholder impact when there is no “right” answer.

𝟰. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
In workshops, interviews, and steering committees, in-person consultants:

• Reframe problems on the fly
• Resolve misunderstandings immediately
• Adjust recommendations as new information emerges

AI typically operates in discrete cycles (input – output), not continuous, interactive resolution.

𝟱. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
Most consulting value comes after the strategy is defined.

• People resist change for emotional and identity-based reasons
• Fear, loss of control, and incentive misalignment derail transformations

In-person consultants coach leaders, mediate conflicts, and help teams navigate resistance. This is something AI cannot credibly do.

𝟲. 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
When a consultant stands in front of a board or executive team:

• They own the recommendation
• They absorb pressure and scrutiny
• They adapt when outcomes differ from expectations

AI provides advice, but cannot be accountable for consequences.

𝟳. 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Technology and business decisions increasingly involve:

• Data privacy
• Workforce impact
• Regulatory risk
• Public perception

Human consultants weigh ethical implications and political realities in ways that go far beyond technical feasibility.

𝗔𝗜 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘁:

• Data analysis and benchmarking
• Scenario modeling and forecasting
• Document review and synthesis
• Repetitive or standardised advisory tasks

𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻:

• Stakes are high
• Problems are ambiguous
• People and power matter

This is why the best consulting today is hybrid.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿: 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 + 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗶𝗻

AI is best as a force multiplier, not a replacement:

• AI sharpens analysis
• Humans provide judgment, trust, and leadership

Strategy is human. Execution is human. AI accelerates both, but cannot replace them.