Do Consultants use AI?

Of Course — Here’s How it’s Made us Stronger 

Spoiler: It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions.

We started out by asking it simple stuff. “How many board feet of timber does Canada ship each year?” Not bad. Then we got more ambitious. “Who are the three main purchasing contacts at Caterpillar?” Bit of a swing and a miss. And eventually: “Design a go-to-market strategy for an EV company”.

The answer? Impressive on the surface. Structured. Thoughtful. But kind of like a suit off the rack — looked sharp, didn’t quite fit.

That’s when we had a bit of a moment. Were we really just asking questions and letting AI do the work? It felt a bit like cheating. But the more we used it, the clearer it became: the real skill isn’t in having the answers. It’s in knowing what to ask.

That’s always been true in consulting. AI just brought it into focus.

So Yes, We Use AI — Just Not How You Might Expect

1.   For researchWe still use AI to gather background. Market data, trends, competitive snapshots. It’s quick and broad — far faster than doing it all manually. But it still needs to be verified. AI sometimes gets a little… imaginative.

So yes, it saves time. But it’s just a starting point.

2.   As a sparring partnerThis is where it actually gets useful.These days, we use AI like a junior consultant who never gets tired. We throw ideas at it and ask it to rank them, extend them, challenge them. Sometimes we ask for examples from different industries. And then we argue with it.

• “That doesn’t apply here.”
• “This would never work in this market.”
• “You’re missing the nuance.”

Here’s the thing. AI is trained on existing data. It’s really good at following patterns — one plus one equals two. Three is followed by four, then five. It can extend ideas, compare options, and spot trends. But true breakthrough thinking? That’s rare. It doesn't take leaps. It builds on what’s already known.

That’s where experience comes in. AI can move things along faster, but it still needs someone to set the direction — someone who knows the market, understands the context, and can separate a good idea from a risky one.

We think of it like this: for a long time, everyone used handsaws. Then chainsaws came along. The people who already knew how to cut wood suddenly had a powerful new way to do it faster and better. The ones without any real experience? Let’s just say the results weren’t great.

Same tool. Very different outcomes.

What You Can Take From This

You don’t need to become an AI expert. But you can start using it like we do — as both a junior researcher and a sparring partner.

As a junior researcher, it’s helpful for pulling together background info, scanning broad trends, and saving time on the early digging. Just remember to check its work.

As a thinking partner, it helps stretch your ideas, test assumptions, and spark options you might not have considered. That’s where the real value lies — not in handing off the work, but in sharpening your own thinking.

Whether you're building strategy, entering a new market, or just trying to figure out what’s next, AI can give you a head start. But experience, context, and judgement? That’s still on you.

If you're curious how to make it part of your process, I’m happy to share what we’ve learned.

See you next time,

Andrew 

PS.  And yes, of course AI assisted me in the creation of this blog.