2026 Consulting Trends: Turning Uncertainty and AI Disruption into Competitive Advantage

Each year at Deltek, we identify the critical consulting moves professional services firms need to succeed. As part of that process, we look closely at the forces shaping the year ahead. For 2026, two realities stand out: continued economic uncertainty and accelerated AI adoption across professional services.

The challenge? These themes aren’t new. Uncertainty and AI disruption have defined the past several years. Simply labeling 2026 the same way would feel repetitive—yet ignoring them would miss the point entirely.

What has changed is experience. Professional services and consulting firms now have multiple years of navigating volatility, margin pressure, talent constraints, and emerging technologies. That experience creates an opportunity not just to survive—but to outperform competitors who remain reactive.

In partnership with consulting firm owner and strategic transformation expert Andy Jordan, we recently introduced the 10 Critical Consulting Moves in a live discussion. The insights go well beyond a single conversation.

• You can explore the framework in depth by registering for the webinar
• The full set of moves is also available in our downloadable guide, coming soon

In this article, we’ll highlight the key consulting trends shaping 2026—backed by industry data and real-world perspectives—to help firm leaders think strategically about what comes next.

People-First Consulting in 2026: Why Clients, Employees, and Technology Are Interconnected

This year’s critical consulting moves center on three core themes: customers, operations, and technology. While these areas are often discussed separately, they are fundamentally people-driven.

Consulting remains a people-first business. It always has been—and always will be. Technology plays a vital role, but its purpose is not to replace expertise. Its role is to amplify human judgment, improve collaboration, and remove friction from how value is delivered.

This belief underpins several of our 2026 consulting priorities. We see firms increasingly focused on:

• Building fully integrated technology ecosystems rather than disconnected point solutions
• Maximizing value from existing systems instead of continuously adding new tools
• Shifting AI adoption from efficiency gains to measurable effectiveness and outcomes
• Expanding the use of agentic AI across professional services workflows

When implemented correctly, these technology investments strengthen—not dilute—the human side of consulting.

How AI and Automation Are Reshaping Consulting Work in 2026

One of the most immediate benefits of smarter technology adoption is reduced administrative burden. According to Gartner, 40% of consulting tasks are automatable, freeing highly skilled professionals to focus on client strategy, problem-solving, and relationship building.

Client expectations are evolving just as quickly. Technology is now a visible part of the consulting experience. In Deltek’s 2025 Professional Services Roundtable, participants noted that 73% of clients expect real-time visibility into project status and performance.

Firms that meet these expectations build stronger trust, increase client loyalty, and unlock expansion opportunities. Transparency is no longer a differentiator—it’s a baseline requirement.

As Scott Montgomery, Chief Customer Officer at Worldgate, explains:

“Partnering with your client is the key to success. And using systems that increase visibility and streamline conversations is really critical.”

Building Resilient Consulting Teams in an Era of Constant Change

A people-first approach doesn’t stop with clients. Employees must be central to any 2026 consulting strategy.

Investing in people goes beyond training programs or new tools. While skills development and AI enablement are essential, the most successful consulting firms focus on cultural resilience—the ability for teams to remain aligned, motivated, and confident during periods of disruption.

Leadership plays a defining role. As leadership consultant Tissa Richards puts it:

“We need to help teams understand what we can control, what we can influence, and what is noise.”

Firms that foster clarity, trust, and shared purpose will be better positioned to adapt—and to retain top talent in a competitive market.

Driving Sustainable Consulting Firm Growth in 2026 and Beyond

Each year, the Critical Consulting Moves reinforce a simple truth: sustainable success requires progress across the entire business. Growth initiatives, operational improvements, technology investments, and people strategies are deeply interconnected.

More importantly, use these insights as a catalyst within your own firm. Develop actionable improvement plans. Commit to continuous refinement. Identify where greater visibility, integration, and collaboration can drive measurable impact.

Uncertainty isn’t going away. AI-driven disruption will only accelerate. But firms that prepare intentionally—by empowering their people and aligning strategy with technology—will turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s competitive advantage, setting the stage for stronger performance in 2027 and beyond.