Navigating AI in SME Financial Consulting Firms : Perceptions, Challenges, and Organizational Change.

This thesis explores how financial consultants in small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)consultancy firms perceive and respond to the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI)on their work, roles, and organizations. Despite AI's increasing presence in professionalservices, its impact on SME firms remains underexplored, particularly from the consultants'perspective. Additionally, to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of AI and itsrole within the industry, the study also includes insights from professionals whose workprimarily focuses on AI. To address this research gap, the study draws on semi-structuredinterviews with financial consultants and AI professionals, focusing on perceptions of AI’scurrent and future role.Using a qualitative and exploratory research design, data from twelve interviews werethematically analyzed. The findings show that while consultants generally acknowledge AI’spotential to enhance efficiency, especially in routine tasks, its use remains informal andindividually driven. A gap emerged between the AI tools available on the market and thoseused in practice, often due to limited organizational support, unclear strategies, and concernsabout trust and data confidentiality.Additionally, the study highlights a divergence in expectations: consultants tend to view AIas a complementary tool, while AI professionals foresee more fundamental changes toconsulting work. This perception gap has implications not only for collaboration andimplementation but also for traditional billing models, as time-based pricing may bechallenged by AI-driven productivity gains. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how AI is perceived and adoptedwithin SME consultancy firms, offering practical insights into the strategic, cultural, andstructural adjustments needed to navigate technological transformation.