Unpacking the AI Revolution in Consulting with IBM and Mint
A compelling webinar hosted by Mint in collaboration with IBM recently delved into the transformative power of artificial intelligence within the consulting industry. Titled "The Reinvention of Consulting — How IBM is Supercharging Its Employees with AI," the session offered invaluable insights into how IBM Consulting is leveraging AI to empower its consultants and deliver enhanced value to clients.
Moderated expertly, the webinar commenced by setting the stage for the AI-driven revolution sweeping across the global consulting landscape, with a particular focus on India's dynamic market. Drawing upon the IBM CEO Study 2023, the moderator highlighted that a significant 75% of global CEOs recognize generative AI as the key to future competitive advantage. This sentiment resonates strongly in India, where over 60% of enterprises are already integrating AI into their core operations, as noted in the NASSCOM Report 2023.
At the forefront of this transformation is IBM Consulting Advantage, IBM's innovative AI services platform powered by IBM watsonx. This cutting-edge platform is equipping consultants with the tools they need to deliver smarter, faster, and more impactful outcomes for their clients.
The session featured Mr. Rishi Aurora, Managing Partner, IBM Consulting, India & South Asia, who brought his extensive 25 years of experience in driving transformational change to the discussion. Mr. Aurora shared IBM's perspective on the profound impact of AI on the consulting industry, emphasizing that AI is no longer just an efficiency driver but a fundamental force creating tangible business results, as highlighted by the IBM Institute for Business Value. He elaborated on how IBM Consulting Advantage provides consultants with access to pre-built AI assets, leading to remarkable productivity gains of up to 50% in pilot phases, as reported by IBM Newsroom. Focusing on the Indian context, Mr. Aurora underscored the accelerated pace of AI adoption across crucial sectors like BFSI, healthcare, and retail.
The conversation then shifted to real-world applications of AI in consulting. Mr. Aurora shared compelling examples of how IBM Consulting is collaborating with clients to drive tangible improvements. In the BFSI sector, AI-powered automation has led to over a 40% reduction in KYC processing times, as evidenced by IBM Client Success Stories. In retail, AI is being implemented for demand forecasting, optimizing inventory cycles. Furthermore, AI-powered virtual agents have significantly enhanced customer service, reducing manual call operations by an impressive 80-100% and accelerating agent onboarding by 30-40%, according to a Diginomica Report. Mr. Aurora emphasized how IBM's Consulting Advantage platform significantly accelerates the time to value for these solutions.
Addressing the potential challenges and risks associated with AI adoption, Mr. Aurora highlighted the existing trust gap, with only 20% of businesses feeling fully confident in deploying AI models into full production, as reported by BizTech Magazine. Ethical concerns also loom large, with approximately 80% of executives viewing AI ethics as a hurdle in moving from pre-production to full deployment. To mitigate these concerns, Mr. Aurora detailed IBM's robust Responsible AI Framework, anchored by watsonx.governance. This framework offers end-to-end lifecycle monitoring and governance, automating risk management by capturing model metadata, monitoring for bias and drift, and ensuring compliance at scale. Notably, IBM's AI governance solutions are designed for seamless integration with third-party platforms like Amazon SageMaker, as demonstrated by the AWS x IBM Governance Collaboration.
In his concluding remarks, the moderator aptly summarized the key takeaways, emphasizing how AI is not merely enhancing but fundamentally reinventing the consulting landscape. From enabling smarter engagement models and accelerating solution delivery to championing the responsible and ethical application of AI, IBM Consulting is establishing a global benchmark for future-ready advisory services.
The webinar served as a powerful demonstration of AI's potential to revolutionize the consulting industry, offering valuable insights for businesses navigating their own AI adoption journeys. The collaboration between Mint and IBM provided a platform for a crucial conversation, underscoring the importance of strategic AI implementation for enhanced business performance and broader societal impact.
Note to the reader: This article is part of Mint's paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. Mint assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently.
First Published: 30 Apr 2025, 06:34 PM IST
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