Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary reveals AI is killing consulting workflows

Kevin O’Leary unveils companies he invests in are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence instead of traditional consultants, arguing that AI is now capable of handling work that once required expensive external expertise.

The Shark Tankinvestor said firms are using AI tools to evaluate business decisions such as distribution strategies and operational structure, often before involving human advisors.

“Even the companies that I invest in that used to use a lot of consultants… are first going to AI,” O’Leary said on The Founder’s Mindset Podcast, adding that internal teams are now testing AI-generated strategies directly.

He said the shift has accelerated rapidly over the past two years as generative AI tools become more capable and widely adopted across industries.

Consulting firms, meanwhile, have been racing to adapt by building their own AI tools, hiring specialist engineers, and rebranding services around “reinvention” and digital transformation.

Despite the disruption, O’Leary said consulting still has value as a short-term career stepping stone for young professionals exploring different industries.

“If you spend less than two years there… that makes sense to me,” he said, describing longer tenures in consulting as less valuable for executives seeking leadership roles.

He added that he would view seven years in consulting as a negative when evaluating CEO candidates, arguing it can signal stagnation.

However, major tech leaders including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg both began their careers in consulting, highlighting its continued influence in shaping executive talent.