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Artificial intelligence has already begun transforming the consulting industry. Tools that once assisted with data analysis or research are starting to move into territory traditionally dominated by consultants themselves. A recent story in The Wall Street Journal highlights one such example: An AI startup called Aaru, founded by teenagers (yes, really), that is using AI agents to simulate human behavior for market research and strategy work. The company recently reached a $1 billion valuation, attracting attention not only for its technology but also for the unusually young founders behind it.
Perhaps the real significance of the story is what the technology could mean for industries like consulting, which rely heavily on research, analysis, and strategic insight. Notably, Ernst & Young has already begun experimenting with Aaru. Today we’re going to talk about Aaru, EY’s experimentation with it, and what this kind of technology could mean for the consulting industry. Let’s begin.
The Idea Behind Aaru
Aaru’s core concept is relatively straightforward: instead of conducting traditional focus groups or surveys, companies can use AI-generated “synthetic populations” to simulate how consumer or investors might behave.
The platform creates thousands of AI agents modeled on real-world demographic and psychographic data. These agents then respond to questions, marketing ideas, product concepts, or policy scenarios in ways designed to mimic how real people might respond.
For companies trying to understand consumer behavior, this could dramatically speed up research cycles. In one example cited by The Wall Street Journal, beverage company Spindrift used Aaru’s technology to evaluate new product ideas. The AI-generated simulations identified a promising product concept in about one week, roughly matching the results of a traditional survey of hundreds of consumers that took two months to complete.
Why Consulting Firms Are Paying Attention
This type of capability has obvious implications for consulting. Much of consulting work, especially strategy consulting, involves analyzing markets, identifying trends, and forecasting how customers or investors might behave. Traditionally, that process relies on surveys and focus groups, consumer interviews, and market data analysis.
Aaru has the potential to compress that entire process dramatically. Instead of waiting weeks or months for data collection and analysis, AI simulations can generate insights in days—or even hours. That’s one reason large professional services firms are beginning to explore the technology.
EY’s Early Experiments with Synthetic Research
Among the firms testing Aaru’s technology is Ernst & Young, which has experimented with the platform in several contexts. In one case, the firm asked Aaru’s system to replicate a large global survey of high-net-worth investors that originally took a year to complete. According to the report, the AI simulation produced results more quickly and accurately than the original human survey.
EY is now using the technology to support work with multiple clients and in some cases incorporating it into its own research efforts. This is huge for consulting, because if AI systems can reliably simulate consumer or investor behavior, they could become a powerful tool for strategy development.
A New Layer of AI in Consulting
Consulting firms have already embraced AI tools for tasks like data analytics, coding, and document review, but technologies like Aaru are quite different. Instead of analyzing historical data, these systems attempt to predict future decisions.
For example, firms could potentially simulate how different customer segments might respond to a new product launch, pricing changes, or marketing campaigns. Consultants could then use those simulations to develop strategic recommendations. In theory, this could make consulting engagements faster and more data-driven.
The Skepticism
Of course, not everyone is going to be convinced that synthetic populations can fully replace human research. Some companies will likely remain cautious about relying entirely on simulated responses rather than feedback from real customers. The truth is, human behavior is complex, and even the most sophisticated technology can miss subtle cultural or emotional factors.
Still, it’s undeniable that AI simulations could become a powerful complement to traditional research methods. When it comes to the consulting industry in particular, the likely outcome could be a hybrid approach that combines AI-driven simulations with real-world data collection.
What This Means for Future Consultants
For students and early-career professionals interested in consulting, developments like this highlight an important trend. In the past, consultants often spent large portions of their time gathering data and conducting research. Now, AI systems may begin taking on tasks related to that initial analysis.
Of course, all of this doesn’t mean that consultants are becoming obsolete in the age of AI. That said, their roles may shift towards interpreting AI-generated insights and connecting that data to business strategy. Consultants will remain indispensable when it comes to advising clients on complex decisions.
The bottom line is, consultants may spend less time collecting information and more time applying judgment and strategic thinking while working alongside AI systems.
Aaru is just one example of how AI is reshaping knowledge work. The fact that the company was founded by teenagers certainly makes for a compelling headline, but the real story is about how quickly AI is proving that many traditional consulting tasks can be automated. The big takeaway here is that for consultants and students hoping to get into consulting, understanding how AI tools work and how to apply them strategically is becoming an essential skill.
Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.
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