Artificial intelligence is changing how consultants work – and increasingly, how consulting firms evaluate talent.
To help candidates better understand McKinsey's new AI interview, Management Consulted spoke exclusively with Simone Jacobi, Director of Talent Assessment at McKinsey & Company, about why the firm introduced AI into its interview process, what candidates should expect, and how aspiring consultants should prepare.
Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for human judgment, McKinsey sees it as another tool consultants will use throughout their careers. As Simone explains below, the firm's newest interview is designed to reflect that reality while continuing to assess the qualities that have always mattered most.
The McKinsey AI Interview Process
Management Consulted: What prompted McKinsey to introduce AI into the interview process? What candidate qualities or hiring objectives is this new assessment designed to evaluate?
Simone Jacobi: The way our teams work is genuinely shifting. AI now helps us get to a strong first draft faster, which frees our people to spend more time on judgment, creativity, and working directly with clients. We wanted the interview to reflect that reality.
There are aspects of consulting work that will continue to be anchored in uniquely human skills, while other areas will increasingly be supported by AI. The AI interview was inspired by two key questions:
1. How do we evolve our interviews to better assess the underlying characteristics that matter for both human-centered work and work involving AI – for example, critical thinking?
2. How do we ensure our interviews remain job-related and give candidates a realistic glimpse into what working at McKinsey is actually like?
Management Consulted: At a high level, what should candidates expect from the AI interview experience? Without revealing proprietary details, can you walk candidates through what the experience generally looks like?
Simone Jacobi: The interview is similar to a traditional McKinsey case interview. Candidates work through a client problem, generate their own ideas, and review and interpret data. At one point during the interview, they are able to leverage an AI tool to help expand on their thinking.
Much like a real team room, you frame the problem, bring AI into the discussion to push your thinking further, and then apply your own judgment to the output it provides.
In most cases, the interview begins without AI. Later, when the interviewer introduces the AI component, candidates are currently able to use the free version of ChatGPT (at the time of this interview). The final portion of the interview does not involve AI.
Management Consulted: How should candidates think about preparing? What preparation is most valuable, and are there common misconceptions about this interview?
Simone Jacobi: AI is evolving quickly, and we expect this interview to evolve as well.
One common misconception is that we're assessing technical AI skills such as prompt writing. While that's certainly an important capability – and increasingly one AI itself can help with – we believe it's something we can teach on the job.
What we're much more interested in is the human side of the problem: thinking creatively about new solution spaces, deciding what additional insights would be valuable, and using AI thoughtfully to explore those ideas.
There is no surefire way to prepare. My advice is to think on your feet. Think creatively about what else you would want AI to help you understand, particularly in areas where you're uncertain about your solution. If you haven't used AI before, it's worth becoming familiar with it so you feel comfortable interacting with it during the interview – even if it doesn't give you exactly what you expected on the first attempt.
Put simply, we are less interested in how much you use AI and more interested in how well you question what it gives you. The tools will continue to change; sharp thinking, sound judgment, and creativity will not.
"We are less interested in how much you use AI and more interested in how well you question what it gives you.
Management Consulted: What differentiates a strong performance? Without discussing scoring methodology, what behaviors or qualities tend to distinguish candidates who perform well?
Simone Jacobi: The candidates who stand out are not the ones who rely on AI the most. They are the ones who are deliberate about when to use AI, what to use it for, what to do with the output, and who communicate their reasoning clearly."The candidates who stand out are not the ones who rely on AI the most. They are the ones who are deliberate about when to use AI, what to use it for, what to do with the output, and who communicate their reasoning clearly.
Curiosity matters too. These tools will continue to evolve, and we want people who are excited to learn what the next horizon has to offer.
Management Consulted: How does the AI interview fit within McKinsey's broader assessment process? How should candidates think about it relative to the rest of the recruiting process?
Simone Jacobi: This interview is just as important as every other interview you have with McKinsey. If the office you're applying to uses this assessment, your recruiter will let you know when to expect it during the recruiting process.
Over time, it's possible we will continue to build additional AI-related elements into our assessment process.
Management Consulted: What advice would you give candidates who may feel anxious about interviewing with AI?
Simone Jacobi: Relax.
Working at McKinsey means solving complex problems with other people. AI is simply a new tool that is changing how we approach that core task.
We encourage candidates to use our interview preparation site and work through practice cases. Those cases build the same muscles we're looking for during the AI interview, even if the order of questions or interview format differs slightly.
Ultimately, we're assessing your thinking and how you work with others – exactly the things AI does not change.
"Ultimately, we're assessing your thinking and how you work with others.
Management Consulted: Is there anything else about the new assessment – or McKinsey's recruiting process more broadly – that you think candidates should understand?
Simone Jacobi: We are genuinely interested in understanding your intrinsic characteristics. While it's helpful to know what to expect and refresh your quantitative thinking skills, consulting is ultimately about working with people – and not everything can be anticipated or will go according to plan.
It's possible to overprepare to the point where you're searching for the "right" framework instead of using common sense or thinking on your feet. That applies to the AI interview just as much as every other interview at McKinsey.
Our goal is to create an environment where you can demonstrate your best thinking and show us your best self.
Good luck!
Final Thoughts – McKinsey AI Interview
One message came through consistently throughout our conversation with Simone: McKinsey is not evaluating candidates based on their ability to use AI for its own sake.
Instead, the firm continues to assess the qualities that have long defined successful consultants – critical thinking, judgment, creativity, curiosity, and clear communication. AI simply provides another environment in which those capabilities can be demonstrated.
If you're preparing for McKinsey interviews, the fundamentals remain the same. Strong case interview skills, structured thinking, quantitative analysis, and effective communication continue to be the foundation of success.
For additional preparation, explore Management Consulted's McKinsey Interview Guide, including resources on case interviews, the Personal Experience Interview (PEI), the McKinsey Solve assessment, AI interview preparation, and one-on-one coaching with former McKinsey interviewers.