Professional services firms are redesigning delivery around AI execution and human accountability, PwC U. K. partner Matt Cook and Certinia chief business officer Prasad Narasimhan Sulur told theCUBE Research's Scott Hebner. PwC's 29th Global CEO Survey found only 12% of chief executives reported both revenue growth and cost reductions from AI, while 56% reported no significant financial benefits. The gap matters because firms that turn AI into repeatable, measurable outcomes gain an edge over those that only add tools.
Why tools alone do not move financial results
cook said AI leaders win not by deploying better tools but by redesigning how value is created, rather than simply reaching the outcome faster. Sulur added that progress depends on a top-down mandate combined with bottom-up proficiency, where executives set direction and staff learn to apply AI and spot process improvements. The interview took place on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming studio, with disclosure that Certinia sponsored the segment without editorial control. The discussion centered on project structure, knowledge management and new operating models for consulting and related services.
AI-assisted coding illustrates why isolated automation falls short, because shorter development cycles still leave delays in testing, integration and release processes. The same logic applies to consulting engagements, where AI can compress research and analysis from months to weeks without automatically speeding project delivery. Meaningful gains therefore require redesigning the entire workflow instead of automating single steps. Sulur framed orchestration and enterprise data management as core architecture, helping AI understand project stages, required tasks and prior work. Data systems must then supply organizational knowledge in the right context for each task.
Trust becomes central as AI takes on more consequential work, since convincing recommendations can contain errors that demand extensive human verification. That rework can erase intended productivity gains unless firms validate outputs against expected results and enforce permissions. Unstructured information such as meeting transcripts, communications and previous project documents holds high value but needs filtering for relevance and protection of proprietary data. Cook said AI can accelerate evidence gathering and scenario development, but professional accountability remains human. Junior staff in AI-exposed roles increasingly need senior-type skills in leadership and decision-making, according to PwC research cited by Cook.
What redesigned delivery means for business
Companies that buy consulting, implementation and development services will see proposals built around outcomes and governance rather than hours saved on routine tasks. Vendors with orchestrated workflows and curated knowledge bases can offer faster analysis phases and more capacity for complex client problems. Small buyers benefit when research-heavy work compresses from months to weeks, provided statements of work define measurable results and validation steps. Large organizations gain more from suppliers that connect AI execution to testing, integration and release discipline across portfolios.
Selection should focus on how a firm controls context, access and verification, not on the number of AI features it lists. Buyers need to ask which data sources the system can use, how permissions block unauthorized access, and how outputs are checked before they reach decisions. Faster task completion alone does not prove faster delivery, as the software example shows, so contracts should track end-to-end timelines and error rates. This news alone does not guarantee lower fees or higher quality, because only 12% of CEOs currently link AI to both growth and savings. Pilot metrics and accountability for mistakes remain essential.
A marker to watch is whether more CEOs in the next PwC survey report combined revenue and cost effects, alongside vendors publishing audited delivery timelines. A rise above the current 12% would signal that workflow redesign and trusted systems are spreading beyond pilots. Continued dominance of isolated productivity claims would suggest the operating model has not changed. Business leaders can track hiring profiles and governance disclosures from firms such as PwC and Certinia for confirmation.
