Elina jutelyte - 25 MARCH 2026
Positioning for consultants
Don’t want to start with a cliché, but Artificial Intelligence is part of our lives (dumb face smiley).
Look, I use it daily for any type of question I may have, even how to cook pasta if I hesitate.
But so do my customers.
More than ever, I see that my higher-paying consultancy work is being replaced by… summaries and ideas provided by AI.
Quite commonly, a concept or a strategy doc is drafted by the customer and then sent to me: “Can you verify?”
What is not yet outsourced to AI by the customer is systems setup and real human conversations, because machines are not there yet.
Comparing these two types of work: strategic consultancy, which is gradually fading because of “cleverer” machines, and manual input - manual input and human touch actually wins.
Does it mean we have to consider “the plumber effect” in every solo business?
''A good bet would be to be a plumber.”, said Geoffrey Hinton, the Godfather of AI, about future of work
Does it mean you have to focus on selling your manual work instead of your brain?
I am genuinely interested in how to turn this into an advantage for my freelance business, and how to reposition my services in the era of AI so that my accumulated experience and expertise don’t lose their value in front of digital consultants.
Because, let’s be honest, if you spend your junior years doing manual work for the sake of growth in your career, you woudn't like the idea to get back to where you started, once your experience is extracted...
I’ve just finished reading Work by James Suzman, an amazing perspective on how work has evolved through centuries and history. One idea feels solid: over the years, humanity has mostly been creating more work to create ...even more work, while in fact we don't need that much work at all.
But at the same time, as Suzman puts it, the absence of meaning in work is as detrimental as an excess of even the most meaningful work.
I am puzzled.
If the meaningful work for me to be able to create something as a result of my thought process, what am I if I am not doing it anymore?
Let me know what you think of it.
I’m going to talk about AI in the event business with Sina Bünte tomorrow (26 March, 16:00 CET) during the Monthly Café.
But also come and join me at the AI for Freelance Business Forum on 29–30 April, where we’ll explore these philosophical dimensions, and make them very practical for you.
Thinking about automating your operations, but don't know where to start? Submit your case here, and our experts will review it and suggest a solution at the AI for Freelance Business Forum.
Regards,
Elina
Look, I use it daily for any type of question I may have, even how to cook pasta if I hesitate.
But so do my customers.
More than ever, I see that my higher-paying consultancy work is being replaced by… summaries and ideas provided by AI.
Quite commonly, a concept or a strategy doc is drafted by the customer and then sent to me: “Can you verify?”
What is not yet outsourced to AI by the customer is systems setup and real human conversations, because machines are not there yet.
Comparing these two types of work: strategic consultancy, which is gradually fading because of “cleverer” machines, and manual input - manual input and human touch actually wins.
Does it mean we have to consider “the plumber effect” in every solo business?
''A good bet would be to be a plumber.”, said Geoffrey Hinton, the Godfather of AI, about future of work
Does it mean you have to focus on selling your manual work instead of your brain?
I am genuinely interested in how to turn this into an advantage for my freelance business, and how to reposition my services in the era of AI so that my accumulated experience and expertise don’t lose their value in front of digital consultants.
Because, let’s be honest, if you spend your junior years doing manual work for the sake of growth in your career, you woudn't like the idea to get back to where you started, once your experience is extracted...
I’ve just finished reading Work by James Suzman, an amazing perspective on how work has evolved through centuries and history. One idea feels solid: over the years, humanity has mostly been creating more work to create ...even more work, while in fact we don't need that much work at all.
But at the same time, as Suzman puts it, the absence of meaning in work is as detrimental as an excess of even the most meaningful work.
I am puzzled.
If the meaningful work for me to be able to create something as a result of my thought process, what am I if I am not doing it anymore?
Let me know what you think of it.
I’m going to talk about AI in the event business with Sina Bünte tomorrow (26 March, 16:00 CET) during the Monthly Café.
But also come and join me at the AI for Freelance Business Forum on 29–30 April, where we’ll explore these philosophical dimensions, and make them very practical for you.
Thinking about automating your operations, but don't know where to start? Submit your case here, and our experts will review it and suggest a solution at the AI for Freelance Business Forum.
Regards,
Elina