Different movie, familiar plot.

The thing about getting older is that you see patterns repeating.

DIFFERENT MOVIE, FAMILIAR PLOT.

I was having a deep and meaningful discussion with Chatty (ChatGPT) about robots taking over the world and how AI is commoditising consulting work.

You know – why pay for a consultant when you can drop a “Build me a strategy” prompt into your AI tool of choice, and it gives you a 54-page, McKinsey-looking deck in two minutes flat?

And I suddenly realised – I’ve seen this movie before.

It was the late 90s and desktop publishing and graphics software like Microsoft Publisher and CorelDRAW were growing in scale and capability.

Marketers and graphic designers were bemoaning the end of artistic integrity because anyone could create print-ready, clipart brochures in 45 colours.

The role of marketing, apparently, would be devalued.

To some degree, it was true. Low-complexity production became commoditised and industry economics changed. But marketing didn’t die in the final emotional scene.

The industry adapted. In some cases, marketing and design became more strategic, and the business case for good branding was elevated. And sometimes not.

The same pattern will play out in consulting.

Generic, simple “give me a framework” work will probably become this decade’s clipart equivalent.

AI will also change how the more complex work gets done. It should.

But non-linear transformations involving ambiguity, competing interests and “peopley” stuff will still benefit from experience, evidence, good diagnosis and judgement.

To be honest, the highly polished strategy deck was never the outcome anyway.

David Murfet

September 2026