Buzzword Consultants: AI, IoT, Blockchain, Autonomous.

We made up the phrase “Buzzword Consultants” for those that change their “expertise” to the latest buzzword to chase the money. While it’s crucial for consultants to maintain integrity and provide real value, some consultants may be tempted to give the impression they have expertise in emerging technology like AI even if they don’t. This approach can be risky, and relying on superficial knowledge can damage reputations and relationships in the long term. “There are AI consultants that can barely spell AI.” ~Dave Waters. That said, here’s a look at how some consultants might attempt to appear knowledgeable about AI without substantial expertise, and why this ultimately isn’t a sustainable approach:

Cheat Sheet Expanded Below:

1. Use Buzzwords and Industry Jargon

By dropping technical buzzwords like “machine learning,” “neural networks,” “deep learning,” and “predictive analytics,” consultants can create the illusion of expertise. They may pepper their discussions with trendy terms to make it seem like they are familiar with cutting-edge AI concepts, even if they don’t fully understand them.
Risk: This can backfire if clients ask for deeper explanations or request specific examples. It’s a strategy that may impress briefly but will fail under scrutiny.

2. Leverage Case Studies and Success Stories

Consultants may reference high-profile AI success stories or case studies from well-known companies. By mimicking strategies used by successful AI adopters or quoting industry reports, they can suggest a familiarity with AI applications.
Risk: If the consultant lacks deep knowledge, they may struggle to answer follow-up questions about how to apply these concepts in a client’s unique context, leading to doubts about their expertise.

3. Overpromise with Vague Solutions

They might propose grand, vague AI strategies that sound compelling but aren’t specific. For example, saying, “We’ll implement AI to optimize your entire workflow,” without detailing the steps or tools required, may create the illusion of a thorough plan.
Risk: This can lead to unrealistic expectations and eventual failure to deliver, especially when clients expect tangible results.

4. Collaborate with Experienced Partners or Outsource Work

Consultants with limited AI experience might partner with actual AI experts or outsource technical implementation to third-party vendors. They present themselves as the primary point of contact while letting experts handle the technical side.
Risk: While this allows them to fulfill the contract, it can diminish their long-term value as a trusted advisor, as clients may soon realize they’re paying for a middleman and not genuine expertise.

5. Present Generic AI Solutions

By applying generic AI frameworks or solutions (like using basic machine learning models for data analysis or predictive analytics), a consultant can create the illusion of AI knowledge. They may suggest solutions that sound complex but are actually standard, widely available tools that don’t require deep expertise.
Risk: Once the consultant’s solutions are implemented, clients may see that the results don’t deliver much innovation or competitive advantage, leading to disappointment and damage to the consultant’s credibility.

6. Focus on Strategic Recommendations Over Technical Details

Instead of getting into the technical implementation of AI, some consultants might focus on high-level strategic recommendations, such as advising on “AI adoption” or “digital transformation.” By staying at the strategy level, they avoid the need for deep technical expertise.
Risk: While this approach may sound convincing, the lack of practical, executable plans will eventually lead to a lack of results, and clients will begin to question the consultant’s value.

7. Use AI Tools Without Understanding Their Inner Workings

Consultants may use pre-built AI tools or platforms, such as chatbots, automated data analytics tools, or AI-powered CRM systems, without fully understanding how they work. They may present these tools as part of a broader AI solution without being able to explain or modify them.
Risk: This may be successful for a while, but as soon as the client faces challenges or wants to customize the AI solution, the consultant may struggle to adapt or troubleshoot the system effectively.

8. Hide Behind Complex Data and Reports

Some consultants may hide their lack of understanding by relying heavily on complex data reports, graphs, and charts. These visuals can often give the impression that the consultant is diving deep into AI data analysis, even if they don’t understand the underlying models.
Risk: While this might work in the short term, clients will eventually ask for actionable insights and will likely realize that the consultant doesn’t truly understand the data or its practical implications.

Why This Approach Is Short-Term and Risky:

While these tactics might provide short-term success, they are not sustainable. In the long run, clients may start noticing gaps in knowledge, lack of detailed explanations, and incomplete implementations. As AI projects are often highly technical and complex, companies will expect real results, and consultants who rely on superficial knowledge will struggle to meet those expectations. Furthermore, reputation and trust are paramount in consulting. If a client feels they’ve been misled or underwhelmed, they are likely to move on to more experienced professionals, potentially damaging the consultant’s career and reputation in the process.

A Better Approach:

Rather than relying on superficial tactics, here are better and more sustainable strategies for consultants looking to build genuine AI expertise and thrive in this rapidly growing field:

1. Commit to Continuous Learning

AI is a complex and constantly evolving field, and successful consultants need to invest in education and training. This means engaging in formal courses, certifications, and hands-on practice. For example, certifications from leading institutions like Google AI, IBM Watson, or Coursera can provide a strong foundational understanding of AI concepts, which is critical when advising clients.
Consultants should also stay up-to-date on emerging AI trends, new research, and updates in AI technology by following industry thought leaders, academic publications, and AI conferences.

2. Partner with Experienced AI Professionals

If a consultant is new to AI but is keen on serving clients in this area, one approach is to partner with seasoned AI experts. This collaborative model allows the consultant to tap into a network of specialists who can handle technical aspects while the consultant focuses on managing client relationships, strategy, and high-level deliverables.
Co-delivering AI projects with more experienced teams can enhance the consultant’s own knowledge and create valuable, tangible results for clients. Over time, this exposure to hands-on AI work will allow the consultant to become more proficient in the field.

3. Leverage Pre-Built AI Platforms

While consultants may not have deep technical expertise, they can still provide value by leveraging pre-built AI platforms and tools. Platforms like Microsoft Azure AI, Google Cloud AI, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) provide powerful machine learning and AI tools that can be customized without needing deep expertise.
Consultants can familiarize themselves with the capabilities of these platforms and use them to quickly build solutions for clients, while also expanding their own AI knowledge base through experimentation and testing. This is a pragmatic approach that balances AI capabilities with business needs.

4. Focus on AI Strategy and Business Alignment

Consultants don’t always need to be technical AI experts to deliver value. A deep understanding of business strategy, AI’s potential in specific industries, and AI adoption frameworks can enable consultants to help companies align AI initiatives with their broader business goals. AI adoption is about much more than technology; it’s also about change management, organizational readiness, and process alignment.
A consultant with a strategic mindset can bridge the gap between business leaders and technical AI teams, ensuring that AI is integrated into the organization’s broader objectives, thus adding long-term value to clients.

5. Build Long-Term Client Relationships

Instead of aiming for a one-time engagement, consultants should focus on long-term relationships. This means guiding clients through the AI journey, starting with small, achievable projects and scaling over time as the business and technology evolve. By becoming a trusted advisor, consultants can gradually deepen their expertise while delivering real, incremental results for clients.
Clients value consultants who can be trusted partners throughout the implementation process, guiding them through initial stages of AI adoption, refining AI models over time, and providing advice on how to handle scaling challenges as they arise.

6. Use AI to Create Custom Solutions

Consultants should embrace custom AI development in cases where existing tools are insufficient. This could involve working closely with AI engineers and data scientists to create tailored AI solutions that address the unique needs of a client. By doing so, consultants add value by providing personalized, cutting-edge solutions that are aligned with the client’s business objectives.

7. Develop Ethical and Responsible AI Practices

AI is not just about technology—it also raises important questions around ethics, privacy, and responsibility. Consultants should stay informed about the ethical implications of AI, including fairness, bias, and data privacy issues. Ensuring AI systems are implemented responsibly will not only add value to clients but also build trust and credibility in the consultant’s services.
Promoting responsible AI practices is increasingly important, and consultants who can guide clients on navigating ethical challenges will position themselves as thought leaders in the space.

Conclusion

While it may be tempting to resort to tactics that trick clients into believing a consultant is an AI expert, the risks are significant. Short-term gains can easily turn into long-term damage to a consultant’s reputation and career. The best approach is to focus on building real, deep expertise in AI and offering value that is truly aligned with client needs. By committing to continuous learning, building strategic partnerships, leveraging existing tools, and emphasizing responsible AI practices, consultants can position themselves as trusted, long-term advisors in this exciting and rapidly evolving field. This approach leads to sustainable success and lasting credibility.

Does anyone know a “Buzzword consultant”? Do you agree with the term? Would love to hear differing opinions on this. Provide as much constructive criticism as you would like. The more we all collaborate and learn from each other the more valuable we all become.

Buzzword and Consultant Quotes

“Be undeniably good. No marketing effort or social media buzzword can be a substitute for that.” ~Anthony Volodkin
“When dealing with consultants do your due diligence, to get business many promise big results but deliver little.” ~Dave Waters
“A consultant to be worth his salt must give honest judgments not necessarily those which he thinks the clients would like to hear.” ~Andrew Thomas
“My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.” ~Peter Drucker, Father of Modern Management.
“I came from an environment where if you see a snake, you kill it. At General motors, if you see a snake, the first thing you do is to hire a consultant on snakes.” ~Ross Perot
“Too often, executive compensation in the U.S. is ridiculously out of line with performance. That won’t change, moreover, because the deck is stacked against investors when it comes to the CEO’s pay. The upshot is that a mediocre-or-worse CEO – aided by his handpicked VP of human relations and a consultant from the ever-accommodating firm of Ratchet, Ratchet and Bingo – all too often receives gobs of money from an ill-designed compensation arrangement.” ~Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
“I’d rather throw a viper down my shirt front than hire a compensation consultant.” ~Charlie Munger
“It’s very clear that AI is going to impact every industry. I think that every nation needs to make sure that AI is a part of their national strategy. Every country will be impacted.” ~Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA.