The New Consulting Edge: Proprietary AI Tools – and why it signals firm strength
In strategy consulting, differentiation is everything.
And right now, the clearest signal of a firm’s edge isn’t just in its case studies or client list — it’s in its proprietary AI tools.
McKinsey has Lilli.
BCG has Navi.
Bain has launched its own GenAI studio.
These aren’t marketing gimmicks. They’re real, operational tools – used daily by consultants to accelerate research, sharpen recommendations, and unlock value faster for clients.
Take McKinsey’s Lilli, for example.
It’s a generative AI research assistant, trained on over 100,000 firm documents, transcripts, and expert inputs. Consultants can ask it a question and get firm-vetted insights and curated outputs in seconds – all wrapped in McKinsey’s house style.
It’s not just efficient. It’s branded intelligence.
Why does this matter? Because consulting firms aren’t just applying GenAI – they’re building with it.
And that changes the game.
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From a recruitment perspective, here’s what we’re seeing:
? Tooling is now a differentiator
Top candidates are asking: What will I get to build with?
Firms that have clearly invested in their own AI capabilities — rather than generic toolsets — are pulling ahead in the talent race.
? Productised IP is blurring industry lines
These tools look a lot more like tech platforms than PowerPoint decks. That means more hiring from product, data science, and engineering backgrounds to support internal development and delivery. Expect to see more cross-functional teams — and more hybrid career paths — inside consulting firms.
? Clients notice
When one firm shows up to a pitch with its own AI assistant — and the other doesn’t — it’s not a subtle difference. Proprietary tools communicate readiness, capability, and long-term investment. It’s strategy, delivered with software.
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The broader point is this:
It’s no longer just about being AI-ready.
It’s about being AI-distinctive.
Firms that can embed AI into the way they operate — not just advise on it — will increasingly define what “top-tier” means in consulting.
And from what we’re hearing across the market – both candidates and clients are paying attention.
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Work with Strat-Bridge
Ben Appleton is the founder of Strat-Bridge, a specialist executive search partner to the management consulting industry. He works with global consulting firms and senior leaders across the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and beyond — helping them build capability at the Partner and Director level.
Connect with Ben on LinkedIn or email ben@strat-bridge.com.
