AI Is Forcing Consulting Firms to Rethink Billable Hours and Graduate Hiring

CNBC reports that AI is changing the consulting industry and pressuring firms to reconsider the billable-hour model. The shift also puts the traditional graduate career ladder, which has long relied on junior staff doing research and analysis work, under strain. The available coverage is brief and does not quantify the changes.

Why it matters: If AI absorbs the entry-level analysis work that consultants have traditionally billed, the apprenticeship path into professional services may need to be rebuilt, which affects how early-career talent is hired and developed.