Kyndryl says AI will upend consulting industry

Kyndryl expects artificial intelligence to fundamentally reshape consulting and the way companies operate, with AI agents moving from simple response tools to systems that can act autonomously, Ismail Amla, the group’s senior vice president and global head of Kyndryl Consult, told ECO. The shift matters for businesses investing in AI because, in his view, the main challenge is no longer just access to models but how to deploy them safely inside existing organisations.

Amla said AI would “destroy” parts of the consulting industry as clients gain the ability to complete in minutes work that previously required large teams and much more time. He argued, however, that consultants would still have a role in areas such as implementation, oversight and applying expertise to decisions made by AI agents.

For companies adopting the technology, Amla highlighted four priorities: focus, designing hybrid teams in which people and agents work side by side, building trust into systems from day one, and strengthening the underlying technology base. “You cannot build emerging technologies on fragile foundations,” he said, arguing that companies need modern systems and cleaner data before scaling AI.

He also said governance, security and observability have become more important over the past six to nine months as more AI systems move into production. Kyndryl is using what it calls “policy as code” to keep agents within defined limits, while companies also need to prepare staff for changes in workflows, incentives and training.

On Portugal, Amla said the country is on Kyndryl’s “critical path” and could serve as a platform for activity beyond the domestic market. He said the company sees Portugal as ready for the shift, at a time when organisations across sectors are still struggling to align data, systems and workforce readiness with AI adoption.

Originally published at Eco.pt