Latest news with #Lilli
AU Financial Review
3 days ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
McKinsey leans on AI to do junior workers' tasks
New York | McKinsey's consultants are increasingly drafting proposals and making PowerPoint slides using the firm's generative artificial intelligence platform, which has developed enough to take over at least some of the tasks typically performed by junior employees. While employees have access to the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT, they can only input confidential client data into Lilli, the proprietary platform aggregating McKinsey's knowledge base, according to Kate Smaje, the company's global leader of technology and AI.
Entrepreneur
3 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
AI Creates PowerPoints at McKinsey Replacing Junior Workers
Over 75% of McKinsey employees now use the internal AI tool Lilli, which safely handles confidential information. McKinsey consultants are using the firm's proprietary AI platform to take over tasks that have traditionally been handled by junior employees. Kate Smaje, McKinsey's global leader of technology and AI, told Bloomberg on Monday that McKinsey employees are increasingly tapping into Lilli, the internal AI platform the firm launched in 2023. While employees are permitted to use ChatGPT internally, Lilli is the only platform that allows them to input confidential client data safely. Related: Salesforce Has Used AI to Reduce Personnel Costs By $50 Million This Year. Here's Which Roles Are Affected. Over 75% of McKinsey's 43,000 employees are now using Lilli monthly, Smaje disclosed. Lilli was named after Lillian Dombrowski, the first woman hired by McKinsey in 1945. Through Lilli, McKinsey consultants can create a PowerPoint slideshow through a prompt and modify the tone of the presentation with a tool called "Tone of Voice" to ensure that the text aligns with the firm's writing style. They can also draft proposals for client projects while maintaining the firm's standards, find internal subject matter experts, and research industry trends. Lilli has advanced enough to take over tasks typically assigned to junior employees, but Smaje says that doesn't mean McKinsey is going to hire fewer junior analysts. "Do we need armies of business analysts creating PowerPoints? No, the technology could do that," Smaje told Bloomberg. "It's not necessarily that I'm going to have fewer of them [analysts], but they're going to be doing the things that are more valuable to our clients." McKinsey told Business Insider that Lilli was trained on the firm's entire intellectual property, encompassing over 100,000 documents and interviews across the firm's nearly 100-year history. McKinsey employees who use Lilli turn to it 17 times per week on average, a McKinsey senior partner told BI. A case study published on McKinsey's website shows that Lilli answers over half a million prompts every month, saving workers 30% of the time they would have spent on gathering and synthesizing information. Related: The CEO of $61 Billion Anthropic Says AI Will Take Over a Crucial Part of Software Engineers' Jobs Within a Year Consulting firms have been tapping into AI for years. Bain consultants have access to Sage, an AI chatbot powered by OpenAI. At Boston Consulting Group, employees use an AI tool called Deckster to fine-tune their PowerPoint presentations. Meanwhile, at other companies, AI is taking over tasks once completed by human workers. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said last month that the company replaced hundreds of human resources staff with AI, then used the freed-up resources to hire more programmers and salespeople. A report from SignalFire, a venture capital firm that tracks over 650 million employees on LinkedIn, found that new graduates accounted for just 7% of new hires in 2024 at big tech companies, down 25% from 2023, as AI takes over entry-level tasks.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
McKinsey's AI Now Writes the Deck--Is This the Future of Consulting?
The consulting world might be on the edge of a quiet transformationand McKinsey is already deep in it. Its in-house AI, Lilli, isn't just answering questions anymore. It's writing slides, setting tone, and churning out client-ready reports. Over 75% of McKinsey's employees use the tool regularly, and it's now considered by leadership as part of the team. Headcount has dropped from over 45,000 at the end of 2023 to around 40,000 today. But rather than signal cuts, the firm suggests that AI is freeing people to focus on higher-value work. Do I need armies of analysts making PowerPoints? No, said tech chief Kate Smaje. Is that a bad thing? No, that's a great thing. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with MSFT. Other firms aren't sitting idle. Bain consultants are working with Sage, a custom OpenAI-powered chat system. PWC's Strategy& taps Microsoft Copilot. And at Boston Consulting Group, AI now contributes around 20% of the firm's total revenuea share it expects to climb. Accenture, meanwhile, is going big on physical infrastructure, building 10 global AI hubs, including one in London. What used to be slide decks and spreadsheets is quickly turning into prompt engineering, proprietary LLMs, and tech stacks. McKinsey's own AI muscle doesn't stop at Lilli. Its QuantumBlack unit is scaling up, with help from partners like Anthropic, Cohere, and Mistral AI. For investors watching the consulting-tech collision, this moment could signal something deeper: a shift in how value is created and delivered at the enterprise level. And as demand for generative AI ramps up, companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)a key OpenAI partnerand other AI infrastructure leaders could be indirect winners. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
McKinsey Leans On AI to Make PowerPoints Faster, Draft Proposals
McKinsey & Co. 's consultants are increasingly drafting proposals and making PowerPoint slides using the firm's generative artificial intelligence platform, which has developed enough to take over at least some of the tasks typically performed by junior employees. While employees have access to the likes of OpenAI's GhatGPT, they can only input confidential client data into Lilli, the proprietary platform aggregating McKinsey's knowledge base, according to Kate Smaje, the company's global leader of technology and AI.
FACT
30-04-2025
- FACT
Destination London: Step into a glorious Georgian gem at Montcalm Mayfair
Located near Marble Arch, it is also home to Lilli by Akira Back. The English garden has long been a symbol of national pride. From the sweeping landscapes of Capability Brown to the meticulous displays at the Chelsea Flower Show, it showcases a calm and confident elegance. The same can be said about Montcalm Mayfair, Autograph Collection, which has drawn inspiration from great gardens and greater characters, and created a five-star boutique hotel in the heart of Marble Arch, London. FACT was among the first media outlets to dine, drink, and stay at the refurbished hotel, and found it to be a glamorous gem. Marble Arch often feels more like a thoroughfare, rather than a destination. Montcalm Mayfair is within walking distance of Mayfair's fine dining restaurants, Notting Hill's famous neighbourhood and Oxford Street's shops. Situated on Wallenberg Place, the hotel offers a discreet entrance and an unexpected sense of serenity. When we arrived at Montcalm Mayfair, the smell of Penhaligon's products and flowers filled the air. The hotel, formerly known as Montcalm Marble Arch, underwent a one-year renovation. Architects Holland Harvey and interior designers Studio Est and Studio Mica are behind the refined result. The restoration preserves the building's Georgian history, and weaves the beauty of the era's gardens into its design. The space features shades of green, potted plants and flower bud-shaped chandeliers. Nadira Lalji, director at Precis Advisory Limited, explained: 'This characterful independent spirit heralds a new flagship for our small collection of hotels. A thoughtful top-to-toe renovation that shows fresh imagination thanks to our creative team, excited to share their love of stories, characters and history from its neighbourhood.' Rooms and suites Montcalm Mayfair is home to 151 rooms and three suites. We walked along the newly carpeted corridors, and the smell of fresh paint was still in the air. We checked into the studio, which spanned 18 metres square. Everything was sleek and sophisticated – a full-length mirror slid to open the wardrobe and close the bathroom, and the dark wooden bed frame had hidden drawers offering extra storage. The nod to glorious gardens continued in the room, from the artwork to books. The room boasted Penhaligon's hair and body wash, Frette bed linens and a sink-into-sleep king-size bed. The white marbles were offset by gold, and the white sheets were punctuated by terracotta pillows. Our only gripe: we were next to a fire exit, and could hear it shutting during the day. If you're after plush privacy, the Botanical Suite feels like an apartment in the heart of the city. Located on the ground floor, the suite comes with its own entrance, and designer Camille Rousseau has brought the garden theme to full floral life. Restaurants and bars If you want to make a day and night of Montcalm Mayfair, come for Lilli by Akira Back and stay for cocktails at The Bar. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast offers a variety of cuisines, including a Continental Breakfast, English Breakfast, Shakshuka, and Vegan Masala Omelette. What the buffet lacks in breadth, it makes up for with a high-quality selection of cheeses, meats and freshly baked pastries. The all-day menu spans starters, grills, mains, sides and desserts. The menu is concise yet diverse, ranging from a quintessentially British Beef Wellington to a Japanese Wasabi-Marinated Celeriac. No trip to an Akira restaurant is complete without trying its namesake, Akira Back Wagyu Pizza. The simple yet successful signature dish includes F1 striploin from Australia, topped with shiso, tomato, and truffle. The Dynamite King Shrimp was just that – dynamite. On our visit, The Library had not fully opened. We had a sneak peek inside the laid-back yet luxurious lounge. The shelves include books on London and pictures of colourful characters. Get transported back in time – à la Bridgerton – and rub shoulders with the portraits ranging from Elizabeth Montague, the founder of the Bluestocking Society, to violinist George Bridgetower. And, if you want something more up-to-date, Michael Jackson used to check into the hotel. Facilities Yātrā Signature Spa prides itself on offering a holistic wellness experience. The treatments draw from ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, and range from facials to massages. The spa features treatment rooms, a plunge pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, and a gym. Plus, there are yoga and meditation spaces. The Spa Manager worked her magic, treating us to a transformative Deep Tissue Massage. With an intuitive balance of strength and sensitivity, she anticipated our needs – breaking us down and putting us back together again. The treatment blended traditional techniques that melted away shoulder tension, and guided stretches that opened up the body. The Verdict Throughout the stay, the staff were smart and smiley. They went above and beyond with every request, from early check-in to late check-out and remembering preferences, including teas and tastes. After mentioning my dinner guests' birthdays in passing, they even surprised them with a cake and a candle. As they were happy to help, we could truly relax. Montcalm Mayfair puts the calm into Mayfair. GO: Visit for more information.
