A year-and-a-half ago, management consulting firm McKinsey had just 3,000 AI agents in its possession, with its 40,000 employees far outnumbering its agentic fleet. But in just 18 months, that number has grown more than 500% to about 20,000 AI agents supporting the company’s work, CEO Bob Sternfels said on Harvard Business Review’s Ideacast. Now, the company is evaluating how well job candidates can work with its AI tool as part of the interview process.
The consulting firm is asking candidates to use its internal AI tool Lilli in a test during its hiring process, according to consulting interview preparation company CaseBasix, which helps candidates solve McKinsey, BCG, and Bain cases. In a blog post, CaseBasix says it gathered information from internal sources who say some candidates would be asked to work with the company’s AI tool as part of a final round AI interview. The Financial Times also reported on McKinsey’s focus on business school students using Lilli, citing people familiar with the matter.
The move comes as the blue-chip company seeks to further implement AI into its operations, pursuing skills that extend beyond the interpersonal and problem-solving traits usually required of a consultant. Companies like McKinsey are looking for candidates who can be AI-ready on day one as the technology becomes essential to job functions.
