Current developments affecting demand, staffing, pricing, technology and client-service economics across professional firms. Updated as the evidence changes.
The Federal Trade Commission has opened a probe into leading AI developers. Businesses using agents now have a clearer reason to treat permissions, logging and human approval as operating controls.
MixedLaborAugust payrolls rose in consulting and architecture/engineering while accounting, IT services, R&D and advertising declined.
DivergingPricingLegal-service producer prices were up 7.8% year over year, while management consulting prices were down 3.0%.
AcceleratingAICensus research found AI use especially high at very large firms in Professional Services, Information and Finance.
DevelopingOperationsAmong firms using AI, 57% used it in three or fewer business functions and 65% limited worker use to three or fewer task types.