With interest in AI booming across all sectors, organisations are scrambling to find ways to implement it into their workflows. Yet, with many lacking in-house know-how, companies are turning to outside experts for help putting ChatGPT-like tools to work.
This surge in demand has led to a flourishing industry of AI consultancies, poised to guide businesses through the complex landscape of AI integration and adoption.
From global giants to specialised firms, comparing like to like isn't always so straightforward, as AI consultancies might have slightly different focus areas.
With that in mind, here are 10 of the top AI consultants that help bring businesses into the future via AI.
10: Infosys
Revenue: US$4.54bn
Employees: 317,000
CEO: Salil Parekh
Founded: 1981
Infosys is a provider of digital services, and leverages AI and automation to empower businesses worldwide. Its consultancy offerings include automation acceleration, as well as highlighting use cases and scalable growth.
Infosys’ collaborations include a three-year partnership with the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, to build an AI-powered customer data platform, and with telecoms company Telstra to focus on accelerating its software engineering and IT transformation through its Infosys Topaz and Cobalt platforms.
9: Deloitte
Revenue: US$64.9bn
Employees: 455,000
CEO: Joseph Ucuzoglu
Founded: 1845
Deloitte is a well-known consulting firm that offers AI advisory services to help businesses unlock the potential of AI. Its AI-focused services include strategy development, implementation and governance, with the goal of driving efficiency, enhancing decision-making and creating new revenue streams for clients.
Deloitte is rolling out a generative artificial intelligence chatbot to 75,000 of its employees across Europe and the Middle East, aimed at boosting productivity by automating tasks such as creating presentations and writing emails and code.
8: Capgemini
Revenue: US$24.4bn
Employees: 340,000
CEO: Aiman Ezzat
Founded: 1967
Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, technology services, and digital transformation. Its AI services cover a wide range of areas, including intelligent automation, machine learning and conversational AI, helping clients across various industries to integrate AI into their operations and leverage its benefits.
Capgemini has seen an acceleration of client focus and demand around Gen AI, leading to the launch of a new Gen AI portfolio of services aimed at strategy development, customer experience enhancement, software engineering efficiency and custom enterprise solutions. As a result, its Q1 of 2024 saw revenues of €5.5bn (US$5.9bn).
7: BCG
Revenue: US$12.3bn
Employees: 32,000
CEO: Christoph Schweizer
Founded: 1963
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a renowned management consulting firm that provides AI consultancy services to help organisations develop and implement AI strategies. Its AI offerings include strategy development, use case identification and implementation support.
BCG is collaborating with global tech giants and AI companies to help clients harness AI's potential. Through partnerships with Microsoft, BCG integrates cutting-edge AI into operations and processes that helps customers use AI and advanced analytics to manage their data, strategy and business processes. BCG's chief executive projects AI integration services will account for a fifth of revenues in 2024 and 40% by 2026.
6: PwC
Revenue: US$53.1bn
Employees: 327,000
Chairman: Robert Moritz
PwC is a professional services firm that offers AI consultancy services to help clients navigate the complexities of AI adoption and implementation. Its AI solutions cover areas such as intelligent automation, machine learning and data analytics.
PwC is making a strategic investment of US$1bn over three years to expand its AI solutions, establish partnerships and provide AI training for its workforce, demonstrating its commitment to driving AI innovation and enabling organisations to drive operational efficiency and enhance decision-making.
5: EY
Revenue: US$49.4bn
Employees: 298,000
CEO: Carmine Di Sibio
Ernst & Young (EY) is a professional services firm that provides AI consultancy services to help clients adopt and implement AI solutions across various industries.
Despite tough economic conditions for the company last year following its failed split-bid, the close of 2023 saw EY make remarkable growth of 14% to reach almost US$50bn in revenues. US$1.4bn of that figure was put toward a newly launched unified AI platform dubbed EY.ai.
4: Cognizant
Revenue: US$19.4bn
Employees: 344,400
CEO: Ravi Kumar S
Founded: 1994
Cognizant is a leading provider of IT services and consulting, with a strong focus on AI solutions. Its AI offerings span across areas such as machine learning, natural language processing and computer vision, enabling clients to drive digital transformation and gain competitive advantages.
Cognizant has used its solutions to partner with utilities provider Northumbrian Water to track river health trends and pollution patterns, Aston Martin to aid in winning races, and Microsoft, in a move that’s part of a broader US$1 billion push in generative AI over the next three years.
3: McKinsey & Company
Revenue: US$16bn
Employees: 45,000
CEO: Bob Sternfels
Founded: 1926
McKinsey & Company is a renowned management consulting firm that offers AI consultancy services to help clients navigate the complexities of AI adoption and implementation. ITS AI solutions cover a wide range of areas, including strategy development, use case identification, and implementation support.
McKinsey & Company consolidates its 100+ AI teams worldwide to work as a 1,000-strong AI consulting division QuantumBlack, leveraging its expertise across industries to drive innovation and deliver value to clients worldwide. McKinsey has also launched Lilli, an internal Gen AI tool, to provide interactive insights based on a vast knowledge base, enhancing its capabilities in delivering data-driven insights.
2: Accenture
Revenue: US$64.1bn
Employees: 733,000
CEO: Julie Sweet
Founded: 1989
Accenture is a global professional services company that provides AI consultancy services to clients across various industries. With a focus on digital transformation, Accenture helps organisations leverage AI to drive innovation, improve operations, and enhance customer experiences through solutions spanning intelligent automation, machine learning, and natural language processing.
Accenture takes in US$600m from Gen AI advice in its latest quarter, showcasing its expertise in capitalising on emerging AI revenue streams. Equally, Accenture aims to invest US$3bn in AI to accelerate its clients’ reinvention, which included expanded data & AI practice to offer new industry solutions and pre-built models that will help companies across 19 industries drive value. The company also plans to double its AI talent to 80,000 people through hiring, acquisitions and training.
1: IBM
Revenue: US$61.9bn
Employees: 282,000
CEO: Arvind Krishna
Founded: 1911
IBM is a pioneering force in the field of AI and has been at the forefront of AI development and implementation for decades. With a strong focus on AI consultancy services, IBM helps organisations across various industries to leverage the power of AI to drive innovation, enhance decision-making, and gain a competitive edge.
IBM continues to shape the future of consultancy with its strategic focus on artificial intelligence solutions. Teaming up with EY, IBM launched an AI solution aimed at increasing productivity within HR operations. Luq Niazi, a managing partner at IBM, highlights AI as the 'future of consultancy,' emphasising its transformative potential for IBM's consulting segment, which comprises 160,000 professionals.
IBM's Consulting Advantage initiative provides a portfolio of methods, assets, and assistants to support its consultants, driving business growth and innovation through AI-powered solutions and advisory services. With a global reach and a vast pool of AI talent, IBM is well-positioned to continue shaping the AI consultancy landscape.
******
Make sure you check out the latest edition of AI Magazine and also sign up to our global conference series - Tech & AI LIVE 2024
******
AI Magazine is a BizClik brand
