AI leaders at major consulting firms, including Deloitte, EY, KPMG, McKinsey, and PwC, are at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into business strategies. These firms are not only assisting companies in developing AI tools, upskilling their workforces, and identifying potential security weaknesses but are also creating chatbots and agents to organize their firm’s knowledge and streamline routine tasks. Business Insider interviewed AI executives from these top firms to share their insights on maximizing AI’s potential in everyday work.

AI leaders at these firms use a variety of tools, including models from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Anthropic, as well as internal tools like McKinsey’s Lilli, EY’s EYQ, and PwC’s ChatPwC. They emphasize the importance of using AI as a thought partner rather than just a search engine, highlighting its capabilities in research, analysis, and creativity. For instance, Dan Priest, US chief AI officer at PwC, uses AI for research and analysis, finding it to be a robust tool that can uncover blind spots in thinking. Rodney Zemmel, global leader for McKinsey Digital and firmwide AI transformation, finds AI excellent for “level one” creativity and brainstorming.

When it comes to writing effective AI prompts, these executives suggest providing context, asking specific questions, and engaging in a dialogue with the AI. Matt Barrington, Americas chief technology officer at EY, emphasizes the importance of context management and giving clear instructions about the style and depth of response desired. However, they also acknowledge challenges such as changing muscle memory, connecting disparate data sources, and keeping pace with rapid innovation in AI.

Clients are increasingly interested in how AI can evolve business strategies rather than just technical use cases. They are looking for ways to integrate AI agents with their workforce and explore new possibilities that AI can offer. The conversation has shifted from productivity to growth and finding ways to do things better, faster, and in ways that humans cannot.

These insights from AI leaders at top consulting firms provide valuable guidance for businesses looking to harness the power of AI in their operations.