AI vs. Deloitte | A recent LinkedIn post by global brand strategist Gustaf Wick has sparked a wave of reflection across the business world. In it, he recounts a consulting engagement worth $440,000 – delivered, approved, and celebrated that, in hindsight, was built entirely on assumptions. No customer interviews. No primary data. Just a polished strategy deck based on secondary sources and internal guesswork. The kicker? That same deck, Wick later realized, could now be generated by an AI tool in under ten minutes.
This isn’t just a Deloitte story
It’s a mirror held up to the entire consulting industry and a wake-up call for Sri Lankan businesses that rely on external advisors for strategic direction. Because in the age of AI, the rules have changed. And companies that don’t adapt risk paying premium prices for work that machines can now replicate in minutes.
The core disruption is simple: what used to take weeks of analyst time market sizing, competitor analysis, trend mapping can now be done by tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Copilot in a matter of minutes. And the output? Surprisingly polished. If your consultant is charging millions for a deck that AI can generate with a prompt, you’re not buying expertise you’re buying delay.
For Sri Lankan firms, especially SMEs and family-led businesses, this shift demands a new mindset. It’s no longer enough to be impressed by formatting or frameworks. The real value lies in validation, context, and execution. Before signing off on any strategy document, companies must ask: where did this data come from? Was it tested in the field? Does it reflect Sri Lanka’s current realities not just global trends?
This is where Human Resources must step in, not as an afterthought, but as a strategic partner. AI doesn’t just affect how strategy is written; it reshapes how teams work, how roles evolve, and how talent is deployed. HR understands the real capacity of the workforce, the resistance to change, and the skills that need to be built or hired. It’s HR that ensures AI tools are used ethically, that reskilling happens proactively, and that transformation is absorbed not just announced.
In Sri Lanka, HR is often brought in late, tasked with “implementing” decisions made elsewhere. That model no longer works. In the AI era, HR must be at the table from the start, helping shape strategy that’s not just smart, but human.
The consulting industry, too, must evolve. The future isn’t about producing decks it’s about curating truth. Consultants who survive the AI wave will be those who validate what AI generates, facilitate real decisions, and build internal capacity. Those who cling to the old model charging for formatting and frameworks will fade.
So what should Sri Lankan companies do? First, stop paying for what AI can do. Use AI tools internally to generate first drafts, simulate scenarios, and test assumptions. Then, if you bring in consultants, make sure they’re adding value beyond what a machine can offer. Ask for primary research. Demand local relevance. Insist on execution support.
Above all, involve your people. Strategy isn’t a slide deck it’s a lived experience. And in this new era, the firms that win will be those that combine the speed of AI with the wisdom of their teams.
The Deloitte-style deck dilemma is not just a global anecdote. It’s a signal. Sri Lankan businesses must decide: are we buying clarity or comfort? Are we building resilience or renting reputation?
AI is here. It’s fast, cheap, and shockingly good at first drafts. But it can’t validate assumptions, test ideas in the field, or navigate local nuance. That’s where human expertise still matters. So use AI. Question consultants. Involve HR. And above all, pay for what moves the needle, not what fills the room.
