Team siliconindia

• Ex-McKinsey consultant Anirban Kundu says consultants act as therapists, allies, and guides not just strategists.
• Real consulting value lies in deep trust and personal connection, which AI can't replicate.
• Cites examples like a partner flying monthly for a CEO’s pooja and advising during personal crises.

As artificial intelligence continues to disrupt industries, questions are being raised about its potential impact on consulting jobs. However, Anirban Kundu, a former associate at global consulting giant McKinsey & Company, believes consulting will endure not in spite of AI, but because it offers something AI cannot: human connection.

In a recent LinkedIn blog post, Kundu shared insights from his two-year tenure at McKinsey, where he discovered that consultants are more than just analysts and strategists. “True consulting is being the TAG team partner Therapist, Ally, Guide for the CEO”, he wrote.

Highlighting the emotional and relational dimensions of consulting, Kundu recalled a McKinsey senior partner who flew across the country monthly to attend a pooja held by a CEO client. Another partner, he noted, served as a 'relationship advisor' to a CEO undergoing a divorce. “Trust wasn’t built through slides or recommendations, but through the strength of companionship. No code can code this”, Kundu emphasized.

He added that CEOs often experience deep loneliness, especially when leading bold transformations. In such moments, consultants provide not only strategic counsel but also emotional support and advocacy in boardrooms. “Even the sharpest CEO can struggle to convince a skeptical board. That’s why CEOs need allies people who can help push their agenda forward with credibility”, he explained.

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Kundu, who holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business, concluded that while AI can automate data analysis and even strategic recommendations, it cannot replicate empathy, companionship, and the unspoken trust that defines the best consultant-client relationships.

His reflections highlight a broader truth: in a world increasingly driven by algorithms, the human touch in consulting remains irreplaceable.