19 May 2025
Driving Adoption: How Consulting Firms Can Manage Change and Overcome GenAI Resistance
The promise of generative AI in consulting is clear: streamlined research, faster proposal development, and more time for strategic thinking. But as many firms are discovering, realizing that promise at scale requires more than just rolling out a new tool.
According to our recent Future of Work report on genAI adoption in management consulting, Setting the Pace: How Management Consultants Are Leading the GenAI Revolution, 76% of firms are already implementing or trialling genAI tools. Yet beneath the surface, scepticism remains. Many consultants remain wary, as they feel uncertain about the technology’s accuracy, its role in their work, and the broader implications for client relationships.
For data strategists and leaders within these firms, the challenge isn’t just selecting the right genAI platform. It’s about managing change across functions with a people-first mindset that drives improved performance.
Why GenAI resistance persists even in digital-first firms
The barriers to genAI adoption aren’t always technical. In many cases, they’re cultural.
Our report found that 27% of consultants highlight genAI’s lack of empathy and contextual awareness as a concern. In a people-centric profession where nuance, trust, and judgment are paramount, that concern is not unfounded. Others raised issues around quality control, ethical use, or simply not understanding how genAI fits into their day-to-day workflow.
This resistance is rational; consulting teams are protective of their expertise and reputation. Addressing these concerns isn’t about convincing people to “just try it.” It requires a clear, transparent, and strategic approach to change.
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Lead with transparency and trust
Before consultants will adopt genAI, they need to trust it and the firm’s plan for using it. That starts with clear communication.
Leaders must articulate not only what genAI can do, but also where its boundaries lie. This includes:
- Explaining that genAI is designed to support consultants and researchers, not replace them. It can accelerate low-value, time-consuming tasks, freeing up time for deeper, human-driven insight.
- Setting expectations around output quality, attribution, and verification
- Establishing ethical guidelines and use policies
Nexis+ AI is an example of a genAI platform tailored for professional research and due diligence. With built-in safeguards, access to trusted content, and transparent source attribution, Nexis+ AI helps professionals surface insights faster by generating cited, multisource answers to research questions using the industry’s largest genAI-approved news datasets*. Its design reflects how genAI can be deployed with precision and care—offering a practical model for firms looking to scale adoption across knowledge-intensive tasks.
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Train for fluency, not just functionality
Training is one of the strongest predictors of successful adoption. Yet, many firms stop at surface-level tool demos or one-off ‘how-to” sessions—this is a missed opportunity.
Our report shows that 42% of consulting firms now offer high-level AI training—nearly three times the cross-industry average. These firms recognize that adoption depends on fluency, not just familiarity.
Effective training should:
- Be tailored to roles and workflows (e.g. how genAI supports research analysts vs. engagement leads)
- Equip teams to think critically about genAI outputs (e.g. how to verify, refine, and communicate AI-generated work to clients)
- Include training on ethics, bias, and the importance of human oversight
The goal isn’t just to explain how the tools work, but to help people see why they’re valuable. Firms should also encourage informal knowledge-sharing, which can be done by offering office hours with AI specialists and recognizing and rewarding innovation. When teams feel empowered to experiment and safe enough to ask questions, they build lasting confidence.
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Integrate AI into real workflows
GenAI tools often stall when they’re seen as optional. To drive adoption, they must be embedded into the core of how teams work.
According to our research, 56% of consultants using genAI report saving 3–4 hours per day by automating time-intensive tasks like research, slide drafting, and summarizing long reports. However, for many, these efficiencies remain siloed to individual experiments.
To create real value as a data and information leader, you can:
- Integrate genAI into platforms consultants already use (e.g. knowledge repositories, CRM systems, or document templates)
- Prioritize every day, time consuming and repetitive tasks (e.g. creating client pitch decks, or pulling competitive insights)
Track performance improvements and share them widely so teams can see how genAI helps, not just hear that it might.
By integrating genAI capabilities into platforms and processes consultants already use, firms can make AI adoption feel like a seamless part of their workflow and not like an extra step.
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Track, share, and scale what works
Once adoption begins, momentum builds—but only if it’s measured and celebrated.
Firms should track:
- Time saved on repetitive tasks
- Usage trends by team or project type
- Qualitative feedback on where genAI helps (or hinders)
Don’t keep the wins and successes quiet. When a trusted colleague shares how genAI helped deliver a proposal faster or prep for a meeting more thoroughly, it builds curiosity, boosts confidence, and paves the way for smoother adoption across the firm.
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Driving genAI adoption is a human strategy
The success of genAI in consulting doesn’t hinge on the latest model but depends on people. And people need clarity, confidence, and support to change how they work.
For data strategists and technology leaders, that means taking a leadership role not just in implementation, but in transformation. By focusing on transparency, fluency, and integration, you can turn genAI from a point of resistance into a firm-wide advantage.
When your teams understand genAI and trust its value, they’ll lead the charge—not resist it.
Want to see how leading consulting firms are managing change and accelerating adoption?
Download the Setting the Pace report for key benchmarks, data, and real-world strategies from firms at the forefront of genAI transformation.