Source Global: the US consulting market is set to grow 7% in 2026, the fastest pace in the post-COVID era, as companies seek advice on profiting from AI
Companies are seeking advice on how to provide energy to data centres and profit from artificial intelligence
Context & Ripple Effects
Demand for AI advisory work was already rising at large firms: BCG’s AI-related work reached a fifth of its revenue after being negligible two years earlier. This forecast indicates that demand is broadening from experimentation into company-wide operating and investment decisions.
The advisory opportunity also reaches beyond software. Industrial suppliers’ push to equip data centers shows why decisions about power and physical capacity are becoming part of the AI-services agenda.
First-order effects
- Consulting firms gain a stronger near-term pipeline for AI strategy, monetization, and data-center energy engagements.
- Corporate buyers face pressure to turn AI spending and data-center requirements into concrete business and infrastructure plans, increasing demand for external expertise.
Second-order effects
- IT consultancies and specialist AI advisers will compete more directly for work that spans technology strategy, implementation, and infrastructure planning.
- Equipment and energy suppliers to data centers gain another route to customers as consultants influence the design and prioritization of AI-related projects.
Third-order effects
- If this demand persists, consulting’s value pool may shift from general transformation advice toward AI-enabled operating models and infrastructure-linked expertise.
- The model could also move away from time-based billing: AI labs building advisory arms and outcome-based project pricing would put pressure on incumbent firms to demonstrate measurable results.
The trend: AI adoption is turning consulting into a bridge between enterprise strategy, implementation, and the physical infrastructure needed to run AI workloads.