Artificial intelligence is beginning to upend the traditional dominance of large consulting firms like the "Big Four"—Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC—and other major players such as Accenture. [11] AI agents and tools are automating complex research, data analysis, and report generation, tasks that historically required large teams of junior consultants. [4, 16] This allows smaller, more agile boutique firms, often founded by industry veterans, to handle large-scale projects and compete on speed and cost. [2, 11]
In response, the established giants are investing billions to develop proprietary AI platforms and are hiring more AI specialists than traditional auditors. [5, 12, 18] However, these large firms face significant cultural and structural hurdles in implementing AI across their vast organizations. [3] The shift also threatens the long-standing billable-hour business model, creating a critical opening for nimbler, AI-native challengers to gain market share. [15]