In the Financial Times’ 2026 Management Consulting Awards survey 73% of consultants identified AI as the single largest growth opportunity facing the profession.

In February 2026, CEO of Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman, predicted:

“Most, if not all, professional tasks… sitting at a computer… will be fully automated by an AI within the next 12-18 months.”

What does consulting look like when, AI is no longer a tool, but an active participant in how advice is created and delivered - and when consulting firms operate with AI teammates, autonomous systems, and ‘always‑on advisory’ capability?

This paper explores four futures already taking shape - from visible AI collaborators to Consulting Engines, Autonomous Firms, and deeply Embedded Partners - and offers a route to understand and navigate this next era of consulting, as a consultant, or a client.