Spanish consulting is experiencing an unprecedented transformation. According to the latest annual report from the Spanish Association of Consulting Firms (AEC), the sector reached €23.635 billion in revenue and 298,000 professionals in 2025, doubling figures from a decade ago. But beyond the numbers, what truly marks the market's pulse is the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on talent, business models, and geopolitics.

José María Beneyto, president of the AEC since 2024 and a key figure in academia and institutions, analyzes the report's findings and the trends that will define the industry's future in this interview. His central message is clear: AI will not cause a 'great replacement' of professionals, but a 'great reskilling and upskilling'. Companies that do not bet on continuous training will be left behind.

A sector that doubles in a decade

The AEC report reveals exponential growth: in ten years, both revenue and employment have doubled. In 2025, growth was 7.5% in revenue and 4.7% in employment, with an investment in innovation of €1.44 billion. Beneyto highlights that, although a certain slowdown is observed compared to previous years, it is logical after a decade of acceleration.

The most demanding sectors for consulting are financial (30.1%), public administration (15.5%), energy and utilities (11.5%), and distribution and consumption (8.9%). The presence of public administration is especially relevant, as it reflects the role of consultancies in modernizing the public sector. Regarding the type of services, outsourcing still dominates with 45% of revenue, but consulting (21%) and development and integration (22%) are gaining ground, signaling a new technological phase.

AI: Job destruction or creation?

Beneyto addresses the debate on AI's impact on employment. He acknowledges that we are entering a new era comparable to that of the railroad or the internet, and that there will be job losses, but also creation of new ones. However, he warns: 'There will not be a great replacement, but complementarity. Behind AI, there must be people who govern it.'

The president of the AEC points out that technology consultancies are at the forefront of this transformation, so they feel the effects earlier. Layoffs at large firms like Accenture, Cognizant, or the Big Four respond to a necessary restructuring after enormous growth in the last decade, now accelerated by AI. But he insists that restructuring will reach all sectors: banking, insurance, logistics...

To adapt, companies must bet on reskilling and upskilling. The AEC has launched the Tech Talents initiative, a program of university microcredentials together with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, to train profiles capable of managing AI and other technologies such as quantum computing or edge computing. As mentioned in our article on Implementación de IA Generativa en flujos de trabajo, the key is to integrate AI strategically, not as a direct replacement.

The new professional profile: more senior and more strategic

AI is changing the demanded profiles. Repetitive tasks that juniors used to do can now be done by AI, so more senior professionals are needed to supervise and control the systems. This implies a faster maturation of professionals. Additionally, the business model based on 'man-hours' is giving way to fixed-price projects, a trend already observed in public administration.

Beneyto criticizes the Public Sector Contracts Law, which he considers obsolete and encourages a race to the bottom in prices, harming quality. 'We have excellent technology consulting, but price pressure weakens the sector,' he states. Modernizing this law is a historical demand of the AEC, but its parliamentary process advances slowly.

Geopolitics and technology: the new business landscape

The tense geopolitical environment, with the trade war between the United States and China and Trump's tariffs, directly affects consultancies' strategies. Beneyto, an expert in geopolitics, points out that companies must incorporate geopolitical risks into their decision-making, something that was not a priority before. 'Geopolitics is at the center of business strategy,' he says.

Dependence on US platforms is concerning, but in Europe steps are already being taken towards technological sovereignty, such as using Mistral AI instead of Google. However, Beneyto is realistic: 'We are very far from European technological sovereignty.' The EU needs more integration, coordination of investments, and less bureaucracy to compete with the US and China.

In this context, dual-use technologies (civil and military) are a great opportunity. European defense investment will increase by €300 billion in five years, and consultancies are already creating specific units to leverage them. As we saw in our success story on Transformación digital en empresa logística, agility and adaptability are key to capitalizing on these opportunities.

The role of European funds and public-private collaboration

The Next Generation funds have had a significant impact, but Beneyto regrets the low management capacity of the Spanish administration, which has forced the return of part of the loans. 'There is a significant bottleneck,' he says. Consultancies can help improve this management, but greater public-private collaboration is needed.

Looking ahead, the reduction of European funds should not halt projects, but rather be complemented by national and private investment. Additionally, the EU will continue to channel aid through other mechanisms such as cohesion or innovation funds.

Conclusion: A new era for consulting

Spanish consulting faces a profound transformation driven by AI, geopolitics, and the need for new business models. Beneyto summarizes: 'We are in a moment of transition, where we still do not know exactly what profiles will be needed.' What is clear is that continuous training and adaptability will be the differentiating factors.

For IT professionals, this means they must invest in reskilling and upskilling to stay relevant. As mentioned in our article on Harness lanza Agentes Trabajadores Autónomos, automation does not eliminate human work, but redefines it towards higher-value tasks.

Original source: ComputerWorld. Analysis and adaptation by ForgeNEX.