4 AI-powered consulting startups to watch into 2026

The landscape of consulting is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence. In the past year, a fresh wave of consulting technology startups has emerged from Silicon Valley, aiming to revolutionize how businesses utilize data, enhance decision-making, and optimize technology through AI. While some of these innovative companies aspire to challenge established giants like the Big Four and MBB, others seek to complement their operations. Business Insider consulted various investors to spotlight promising startups within this new category of consulting tech. Here are four AI-driven consulting firms that are garnering attention from investors. **PromptQL** - Total Funding: $136 Million PromptQL is an enterprise platform designed to automate typical consulting tasks, such as generating insights and reports. It empowers clients to create custom AI analysts by merging their internal data with existing foundational models. These AI analysts can perform functions traditionally assigned to data scientists or engineers, learning and adapting over time. Additionally, PromptQL provides access to expert engineers who assist companies in operating their AI analysts and formulating comprehensive AI transformation strategies, charging $900 per hour. CEO Tanmai Gopal emphasizes that the platform excels in delivering 'AI accuracy at scale' without the need for extensive data preparation. **Aily Labs** - Total Funding: $101 Million Founded in 2020 by former Novartis executive Bianca Anghelina, Aily Labs develops an AI-powered decision intelligence platform aimed at helping Fortune 500 companies streamline their decision-making processes. Anghelina recognized the inefficiencies caused by siloed data, which can delay decisions for weeks or months. Aily's solution combines both off-the-shelf and proprietary large language models with data to provide insights and recommendations rapidly. Unlike traditional consulting firms, Aily focuses on embedding an ongoing AI solution within a company's operations, acting as a continual partner. **Profound** - Total Funding: $58.5 Million As businesses adapt to the AI era, the focus has shifted from search engine optimization to ensuring visibility in generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT. Profound specializes in generative engine optimization, helping companies manage their visibility in AI-driven searches and advising on digital content engagement. Co-founders Thomson Nguyen and Max Altman highlight that Profound automates traditional market research tasks that companies previously relied on consultants for, positioning it as a leader in this emerging field. **Dialogue AI** - Total Funding: $6 Million Dialogue AI is an AI-driven market research platform that seeks to expedite the research process, from study design to participant recruitment and interviews. Founded by former Nextdoor employees Benjamin Lo, Justin Hoang, and Hubert Chen, the platform aims to reduce the turnaround time of market research studies from weeks to just one day. Hoang envisions a future where individuals across various roles can conduct independent research effectively. Partner Faraz Fatemi from Lightspeed Venture Partners believes market research is on the brink of disruption, and Dialogue's innovative approach caters to a broader range of teams needing timely insights. These startups signify a pivotal shift in how consulting is approached, utilizing AI to enhance efficiency and decision-making across industries.