Inside BCG's AI product assembly line: 'Every company has to become a tech company' (www.businessinsider.com)

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is significantly transforming its operations by heavily investing in AI technology, establishing a robust internal research and development lab, and adopting a bottom-up innovation model. In the last 15 months, BCG has developed tens of thousands of custom AI agents, utilizing internal expertise to create tools that streamline consultant workflows and cater to client needs. Scott Wilder, a Dallas-based partner, emphasized that "every company has to become a tech company," highlighting BCG's pivot from traditional consulting to actively building and maintaining AI solutions in response to the growing prominence of generative AI post-2022. BCG's innovation occurs at three levels: data engineers leverage proprietary data; consultants create specific tools for client projects, which are then integrated into a firm-wide marketplace; and executives develop broad tools like Deckster and Ava for internal usage. The firm emphasizes a collaborative environment where frontline insights drive the creation of custom AI offerings, with about 80% of BCG's custom GPTs originating from consultants directly engaged with clients. This dynamic approach positions BCG as a leader in AI adoption within consulting, aligning the firm with current industry trends while enhancing operational efficiency and client service through intelligent automation.