PwC is reducing the number of consultants it hires as AI changes the nature of the job.

      The Big Four amassed their wealth through a large number of junior consultants and accountants. However, PwC has begun to reduce their hiring in this area. The US leader of the firm has indicated that this trend is the future, and he is at ease with it.

      Paul Griggs, PwC’s US senior partner and CEO, mentioned to Business Insider that the firm brought in fewer consultants and accountants this year compared to two years prior. He anticipates this trend will continue as PwC focuses on hiring more data scientists, engineers, and machine-learning specialists. An internal presentation from last August revealed that the firm has been decreasing its US campus hiring targets for three consecutive years.

      PwC’s research sheds light on this transition. The 2026 AI Jobs Barometer, based on over a billion job advertisements, indicated that roles in professional services are among the quickest to evolve. Positions that require greater human insight are growing at twice the rate of those that can be filled by AI-assisted novices. Salaries in expertise-driven roles have increased by 42% faster since 2021.

      The traditional pyramid structure is evolving. Consulting has typically operated on a pyramid model, with lower-paid junior staff at the base and higher-paid partners at the top. Removing the base alters the economic dynamic. Griggs asserts that the essential nature of the work in accounting, consulting, and finance remains unchanged; however, the profiles of those being hired have shifted.

      The new recruits are distinct. Griggs indicates that PwC is attracting more candidates from unconventional backgrounds and anticipates an increase in liberal-arts graduates, as AI enhances the importance of a broad knowledge base. He is a strong proponent of master’s degrees and supports his own children pursuing an MBA. The firm continues to recruit from these programs and has developed an AI-focused leadership course in collaboration with Harvard for 4,000 partners.

      A personal insight is revealing. Griggs has three children, two of whom are still in college. He mentions that two may enter consulting, and he fully supports this path. The CEO who is hiring fewer consultants is encouraging his own children toward this career.

      His optimism is not merely public relations. Griggs believes that AI generates value, which fuels growth, leading to new demand for personnel and resources. He claims that PwC's business pipeline is the strongest it has ever been, calling this moment “the biggest opportunity” the firm has faced.

      Conversely, there is a more cautious interpretation. Every consultancy is now promoting AI transformation, and PwC is reshaping itself in line with this marketing strategy. A decrease in junior positions means fewer individuals learning the sector from the ground up. While the pipeline might be robust today, a pressing concern is who will fill these roles in a decade, given the diminished entry-level opportunities.

      Published August 4, 2026 - 11:23 am UTC