The big consultancies are losing ground, and AI is why

In an article, David Linthicum argues that the big consultancy players such as Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG and Accenture are becoming less and less relevant, in favour of small boutique consultancies that can move much faster and also build the solutions themselves.

That is exactly why we started BrA1n.

Here are a few passages from his argument, translated:

They grew powerful by perfecting one particular model: sell fear, promise transformation, deploy large teams, stretch out timelines and turn complexity into a source of recurring revenue. For decades that model worked. Companies facing digital disruption often did not have the in-house expertise to respond, so they turned to consultants for roadmaps, frameworks and long-running transformation programmes.

AI changes that equation.

Unlike earlier waves of enterprise technology, AI does not reward vague strategy or multi-year planning cycles. It rewards execution. Clients increasingly want working tools, faster pilots, lower costs and a clear return on their investment. They are not waiting for endless workshops, thick slide decks or abstract visions of the future. They want systems that raise productivity, cut waste and deliver results now. This shift is creating a crisis for firms whose business model depends on large staffing models and long engagements.

Clients … are increasingly drawn to smaller, more specialised teams that can combine business insight with real technical skill.

That last point matters. One of the central themes in the video is the widening gap between presentation expertise and implementation expertise. Large advisory firms have always been excellent at storytelling, the vocabulary of change management and convincing executives. But AI transformation asks for something more concrete. It requires people who understand models, infrastructure, data pipelines, governance, workflow design and production deployment. In other words, it requires practitioners, not just advisers. Firms that built their reputation on strategic framing are now facing competition from leaner players who can build, test and ship faster.