AI at Top Consulting Firms and Workplace Strain

In this episode of ChatEDU (AI... But for Who?), Matt sits down with guest co-host and longtime friend Dan Noyes to examine the overlooked side of the AI boom: who it benefits, who it leaves behind, and what equity really means in the age of intelligent machines. With Liz traveling for work, Dan joins the pod to share his experience as a digital inclusion leader, bringing both humor and hard truths to the mic.

In the News: AI at McKinsey, Bain, and BCG

Matt and Dan unpack an April article from The Ken that reveals how the consulting giants are reshaping their business models around AI. While revenue is growing quickly, with AI-related work now accounting for up to 40 percent of McKinsey’s services and nearly 20 percent at BCG, the tools are also straining workplace dynamics. Younger consultants are pushed to deliver results at unrealistic speeds, while senior partners treat AI as a silver bullet. Dan reflects on how these tensions mirror broader challenges around AI expectations, labor, and the value of human insight.

Beneath the Surface: Digital Equity in a New Tech Era

Dan walks listeners through his decades long journey at the intersection of education, technology, and access. From his early work at Boston’s Lilla Frederick School to leading Tech Goes Home, he explores how digital equity involves more than just hardware. It's about broadband, skills, and sustained advocacy. With AI adoption accelerating, Dan argues that existing inequities are deepening. He calls for AI informed by local voices, designed with empathy, and distributed with intention.

Bright Byte: AI Gives Voice to the Voiceless

Matt and Dan highlight a breakthrough from UC Berkeley and UCSF, where researchers developed a brain-to-speech neuroprosthesis that restores real-time communication for people with paralysis. The system significantly reduces lag time and can reproduce a user's voice, offering a compelling example of AI’s potential to support human connection and autonomy.

Related Links:

The Ken – “How AI is Creating a Rift at McKinsey, Bain and BCG”

https://the-ken.com/story/bcg-and-mckinsey-sell-speed-as-ai-shakes-up-consulting-so-why-arent-consultants-buying-it/

Coded Bias – Documentary by Joy

Buolamwinihttps://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/coded-bias/

Tech Goes Homehttps:

//www.techgoeshome.orgAI and K-12

Micro-Credentialhttps:

//www.skills21.org/ai/micro

Nature Neuroscience Article (Brain-to-Speech)

https://engineering.berkeley.edu/news/2025/03/brain-to-voice-neuroprosthesis-restores-naturalistic-speech/#:~:text=Marking%20a%20 breakthrough%20in%20the,for%20people%20with%20severe%20paralysis.

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Email Matt and Liz at chatedu@edadvance.org

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This episode of ChatEDU is sponsored by the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing.

Learn more at: https://www.nextgenmfg.org