"The ability to judge when to trust, override, or augment AI will shape employability. As this shift proliferates, education will pivot toward teaching critical thinking over the accumulation of knowledge alone."

McKinsey has introduced an AI-based assessment into select final-round interviews, asking graduate candidates to collaborate with its internal AI assistant Lilli on practical consulting tasks. The new AI interview, run alongside traditional case and personal-experience interviews, evaluates candidates on using AI to support structured thinking, applying judgment when outputs are imperfect, maintaining decision ownership, and clearly communicating reasoning. The change reflects McKinsey’s broader investment in AI platforms and the evolving role of AI in consulting work.