Best of LinkedIn: Strategy & Consulting CW 12/ 13

AI discussion in Strategy & Consulting has moved well beyond awareness and pilots. The dominant signal is execution: firms and operators are now focusing on operating model change, governed deployment, measurable value, and commercial products that embed AI into real workflows. At the same time, the sector is starting to reprice delivery, rethink talent models, and hardwire AI into compliance, diligence, and core business functions.

Date

April 2, 2026

Strategy & Consulting

Methodology: Every two weeks we collect most relevant posts on LinkedIn for selected topics and create an overall summary only based on these posts. If you´re interested in the single posts behind, you can find them here: https://linktr.ee/thomasallgeyer. Have a great read!

‍

Listen to our podcast

If you prefer listening, check out our podcast summarizing the most relevant insights from Strategy & Consulting CW 12/ 13:

Consulting Model and Delivery

AI is collapsing the boundary between strategy and execution, pushing firms beyond recommendation work into build, deployment, and implementation
The traditional consulting pyramid is under pressure as research, synthesis, and first-draft work become increasingly industrialized through agent-based workflows
Delivery advantage is shifting toward firms that can orchestrate governed execution at scale, not just produce sharp analysis

‍

AI Operating Model and Transformation

AI is increasingly framed as an operating model challenge, with value creation depending on decision rights, workflow redesign, data readiness, and leadership alignment
Several posts stressed that AI programs fail when treated as isolated tools rather than enterprise-wide transformation efforts
The dominant message is clear: technology alone does not unlock value. Adoption, governance, and behavioral change do

‍

Platforms and Productization

Leading firms are moving from bespoke advisory toward reusable AI platforms embedded into delivery, governance, and workflow orchestration
Product launches and platform narratives show a shift from experimentation toward enterprise-grade deployment environments with stronger control and scalability
The market is moving toward software-enabled consulting models where repeatable assets become a core part of the value proposition

‍

Partnerships and Ecosystems

Partnerships are becoming a primary route to scale, especially where frontier AI capabilities need to be connected with enterprise integration and domain expertise
The strongest ecosystem moves combine consulting firms, hyperscalers, and model providers to accelerate agentic AI adoption in large organizations
Competitive advantage is increasingly built through coordinated ecosystems rather than stand-alone firm capabilities

‍

Enterprise Systems and Workflow Reinvention

ERP, core platforms, and enterprise workflows are emerging as major AI application areas because they offer direct operational and financial impact
AI is often positioned not as a full replacement of legacy systems, but as a layer that simplifies complexity and improves usability around them
Workflow automation is becoming more action-oriented, moving from insight generation toward execution inside business processes

‍

Governance, Risk, and Compliance

Governance is becoming central to the AI narrative, with strong emphasis on oversight, accountability, auditability, and secure deployment
Compliance is increasingly framed as a strategic value area, supported by AI-enabled operating models and more integrated rules management
Posts on regulation and tax show a broader trend toward productized compliance support rather than fragmented advisory responses

‍

Diligence and Strategic Decision Support

Diligence is broadening from narrow transaction review toward integrated assessment across commercial, operational, technology, cyber, and ESG dimensions
Geopolitical volatility, tariffs, and AI disruption are now treated as structural inputs into strategic decision-making, not side considerations
Consulting value is shifting toward continuous intelligence and embedded decision support rather than one-off reporting

‍

Functional Transformation

Finance content focused on practical AI deployment, especially in FP&A, reporting, and managed services with clearer speed and accuracy benefits
HR content showed a repositioning from administrative support toward organizational effectiveness and capability transformation
Customer and marketing themes emphasized that growth now depends on measurable, end-to-end redesign across journeys, functions, and supporting technology

‍

Economics and Commercial Model

Consulting economics are being rethought as firms move away from effort-based logic toward pricing tied more closely to outcomes and delivered value
AI is increasing pressure on legacy billing models because clients expect efficiency gains to translate into commercial change
Broad and vague offerings were repeatedly criticized, with sharper positioning seen as essential to reduce complexity and improve conversion

‍

Leadership and Human Differentiation

Human judgment, curiosity, and original thinking remain the core differentiators as AI takes over more standardized cognitive work
Several posts warned that over-reliance on AI can flatten thinking, reduce creativity, and weaken the distinctiveness of consulting advice
Leadership is increasingly defined by the ability to combine AI adoption with human interpretation, clear communication, and disciplined decision-making

‍

Subscribe to newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest blog posts to your inbox every week.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Results that speak

How we solve real problems for real clients

Find every expert

Niche expert interviews: Access the specialists the major platforms cannot find

Deal-speed research

CDD Market Intelligence: Embedded, White-Label, Ready in 24 Hours

See more Cases

Das sind wir

Wir arbeiten mit Führungskräften, die den Status quo ablehnen. Unsere Teams bringen tiefes Branchenwissen und einen klaren Fokus auf Ergebnisse.

let's talk