Since shifting to an app-first strategy in January, the firm has introduced working demos in roughly one-third of its first client interactions. By utilizing tools like ChatGPT, Claude Code, and Google AI Studio, consultants have slashed prototype development time from eight weeks to about an hour. This rapid iteration allows teams to build tailored interfaces that use client-specific branding and synthetic data, effectively collapsing the gap between a theoretical proposal and a tangible proof of concept.
In section Finance faces
West Monroe ditches the slide deck for bespoke AI prototypes
“No one's ever been inspired or moved or woken up excited about a PowerPoint,” says Bret Greenstein, chief AI officer at West Monroe. The Chicago-based firm is betting that replacing traditional pitch decks with functional, custom-built AI prototypes in initial client meetings will redefine the consulting engagement process.
This approach forces immediate engagement with the realities of implementation, such as data quality and workforce integration, rather than abstract discussions about AI capabilities. With an internal library of over 700 templates, the firm reuses successful framework components, adjusting them incrementally for new clients. Greenstein notes that this pivot is fundamentally about prioritizing measurable outcomes over the technology itself, treating the demo as a test drive rather than a static presentation.
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