In this episode of Consulting the Future, we explore how Generative AI is quietly reshaping the consulting profession, not through bold predictions, but through real-world experimentation and measurable outcomes.

Recorded as part of the Tech Talks Network, this conversation features Vladimir "Vlad" Lukic from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), who unpacks findings from a major research collaboration between BCG, Boston University, and OpenAI’s Economic Impacts team. The study set out to measure how GenAI tools like Enterprise ChatGPT with Advanced Data Analysis perform in the hands of consultants tasked with complex data science assignments.

What they found is already shifting how professional services firms think about productivity, talent, and technical capability. Vlad explains how BCG consultants with no prior coding experience were able to complete predictive modeling and statistical analysis tasks at 86 percent of the performance benchmark set by experienced data scientists, and even did so 10 percent faster on average. But the implications go far beyond speed.

We discuss what happens when AI becomes an exoskeleton for knowledge workers, why over-reliance on tools can create new learning gaps, and how firms can design workflows that balance automation with skill retention. Vlad shares how GenAI is being used at BCG to transform onboarding, speed up ideation, and even shift the number of hires needed on high-volume projects.

This is not about replacing consultants. It’s about enhancing their capabilities and rethinking how expertise is developed and deployed. Vlad also touches on how these insights extend beyond the office, from helping his kids understand entrepreneurship to reimagining family travel planning through AI-assisted decisions.

Whether you're leading a consulting practice, working in enterprise transformation, or simply looking for a grounded understanding of how GenAI is being applied today, this episode offers a candid look inside a firm that is already putting it to work.

What will GenAI change in your workflow? And how are you preparing your teams to not just use these tools, but think with them?

Join the conversation and let us know what the future of consulting means to you.

What does enterprise security really look like in 2025, especially as AI, cloud-first architecture, and hybrid work models converge to reshape the perimeter? In this episode of Consulting the Future, recorded live at IGEL Now & Next 2025 in Miami, I am joined by Marissa Schmidt, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, for a grounded conversation that cuts through the noise.

Marissa brings deep insight into the evolving role of endpoint security in today’s distributed enterprise. With responsibilities spanning cloud networking, application security, and generative AI, she offers a rare vantage point into how these threads are coming together and where businesses need to refocus.

Together, they explore the growing complexity of multi-cloud environments, the operational challenges of managing dozens of disconnected security tools, and why visibility, segmentation, and zero trust architecture are no longer optional.

Marissa explains how the operating system layer is quickly becoming a strategic linchpin in endpoint resilience and why preventive security needs to move closer to the edge.

The discussion also covers how AI is being used not just for threat detection, but for integrating disparate security signals and automating next-step actions in complex environments. Marissa shares what Gartner is seeing in the field, from the practical challenges of implementation to the cultural shifts required to adopt scalable security strategies.

Beyond the technology, we hear about her keynote reflections, the importance of authenticity and adaptability in leadership, and how research-backed guidance can empower IT decision-makers to move from theory to execution.

For business and technology leaders navigating cloud transformation, endpoint strategy, or zero trust implementation, this episode offers clear, research-informed direction.

Are your endpoint and cloud strategies designed for the future or still solving yesterday’s problems?

In a financial world increasingly shaped by automation and machine learning, how can businesses stay one step ahead of AI-driven fraud?

In this episode of Consulting the Future, I sit down with Bradley Niedzielski, Audit and Assurance Partner for Digital Transformation at Deloitte, to explore how generative AI is transforming the fraud landscape and what that means for finance leaders. As synthetic identities, forged documents, and deepfake impersonations grow more convincing, traditional defenses are no longer enough.

Bradley draws on Deloitte’s research, revealing that AI-driven fraud in the United States could exceed 40 billion dollars by 2027. Over one in four organizations have already encountered deepfake fraud, yet only a small percentage place technology at the center of their defense strategy. We explore the reasons behind this disconnect and the urgent need to modernize fraud risk management.

From AI governance and scenario planning to embedding intelligent automation in core finance functions, Bradley offers a clear-eyed view of what’s changing, what’s at stake, and how businesses can adapt. He explains the role of agentic AI in automating end-to-end workflows, accelerating financial close processes, and freeing finance teams to focus on strategy. But with that acceleration comes risk, especially when poor data quality or blind trust in AI goes unchecked.

We also discuss how organizations can prepare their people for this shift. Upskilling, transparency, and cross-functional collaboration are no longer optional—they are essential to safely navigate an AI-powered future.

If your organization is experimenting with AI or already embedding it into finance operations, this conversation offers timely insights into managing risk, building resilience, and ensuring technology adoption aligns with long-term goals.