I'm a former Big Four consultant who trains AI to do consulting. Here's how it could change the job. (www.businessinsider.com)

Frank Jones, a former Big Four consultant now working as a contractor for Mercor, is harnessing AI to transform consulting tasks. In an engaging as-told-to essay, he describes his role in training AI models, emphasizing that while AI will significantly alter the consulting landscape, it will not replace human consultants. Jones illustrates the process of training AI with a cake-baking analogy, where the effectiveness of AI is evaluated based on a rubric that assesses professionalism, accuracy, and formatting. He highlights that AI excels at straightforward problems but struggles with nuanced decision-making that requires human judgment. The integration of AI into consulting underscores the burgeoning importance of AI prompting as a critical skill for modern consultants. Jones notes that precise communication and clarity in instructions are essential to effectively leverage AI tools, as ambiguity can lead to misinterpretations. As AI takes on more routine tasks, the role of consultants will shift towards refining AI outputs and synthesizing complex analyses for clients, emphasizing the continuous necessity of human oversight in nuanced contexts. This evolution presents both challenges and opportunities, as it reshapes the skill sets required in the consulting profession.