Breakingviews - AI Creates a Kodak Moment for Worldwide Consultants
Consultants Facing Challenges: Management consultants, like Accenture, are experiencing a crisis similar to Kodak's, as AI advancements and economic pressures lead clients to seek lower costs and question the value of consulting fees.
Impact of AI on Costs: The rise of machine learning allows clients to perform tasks at significantly lower costs, giving them leverage over consultants who may struggle to justify their traditional pricing models.
Job Cuts and Hiring Halts: Major consulting firms are reducing their workforce, with Accenture cutting 11,000 jobs and Microsoft halting hiring in its consulting division, reflecting the industry's adaptation to AI.
Future Strategies for Consultants: To survive, consultants may need to enhance their AI capabilities through acquisitions or mergers, but these strategies could risk talent loss and may not prevent clients from demanding lower prices.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on EXLS
About EXLS
About the author

- Share Sale Details: Geneva Capital Management sold 95,151 shares of Ollie's Bargain Outlet in Q4 2026, with an estimated transaction value of $11.47 million, demonstrating the firm's adaptability amid market fluctuations.
- Ownership Percentage Change: Following the sale, Geneva's stake in Ollie's decreased from 2.34% to 2.13%, indicating a cautious approach towards the stock while still retaining a degree of investment confidence.
- Market Performance Analysis: As of February 11, 2026, Ollie's shares were priced at $113.75, reflecting a 10% increase over the year, yet underperforming the S&P 500 by 4.39 percentage points, suggesting mixed market expectations for future growth.
- Expansion Plans: Ollie's opened 86 new stores and acquired Big Lots in fiscal 2025, showcasing its commitment to expansion in an uncertain economic environment, potentially laying the groundwork for future revenue growth.
- Patent Innovation Count: EXL has secured 10 new U.S. patents over the past year, covering various sectors including insurance and healthcare, which underscores its leadership in data and AI, enabling clients to drive growth and reduce costs through innovative technologies.
- Data Intelligence Layer Development: New patents like EXL Transaction Insights™ leverage AI to mine deep consumer financial insights, helping enterprises assess personal financial risks, thereby enhancing decision-making confidence and improving market competitiveness.
- Multimodal Data Processing: The patented technology of EXL Xtrakto.AI™ enables natural language queries on unstructured data, significantly improving document processing efficiency and allowing for the rapid generation of searchable data structures, optimizing client business workflows.
- Industry-Specific LLM: EXL Insurance LLM™, the first industry-specific large language model, enhances claims processing efficiency and reduces indemnity costs, with expectations to significantly accelerate settlement timelines, further solidifying EXL's market position in the insurance sector.
- Global Virtual Event: EXL announced its AI in Action 2026 global virtual event scheduled for March 11, 18, and 24 across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, aimed at helping enterprises move beyond experimentation to fully realize AI's business value.
- Executive Keynote: The event will feature a keynote by EXL's Chairman and CEO Rohit Kapoor alongside former Tesla President Jon McNeill, discussing innovation, disruption, and business value, emphasizing the necessity of integrating AI into daily workflows.
- Focus on AI Applications: The agenda includes specialized sessions on redesigning AI-driven workflows, data management, and AI-enabled analytics, providing attendees with practical case studies to accelerate decision-making and enhance the return on AI investments.
- Strategic Implications: Through this event, EXL showcases its leadership in the AI space, aiming to leverage industry expertise and data to help enterprises govern AI effectively and transform innovation into lasting business value, thereby strengthening its competitive position in the market.

- Leader Status: EXL has been recognized as a Leader in Payer Digital Transformation Services for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting its outstanding performance in the healthcare digital transformation sector and demonstrating sustained competitiveness and market recognition.
- Technological Edge: The report emphasizes EXL's strengths in leveraging artificial intelligence, data, and cloud technology, combined with deep industry expertise, enabling payers to connect disparate data systems and automate manual tasks, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and driving business growth.
- Enhanced Client Services: EXL's digital transformation services not only improve operational efficiency for clients but also allow their members to enjoy superior service, ultimately leading to better health outcomes, showcasing the company's commitment to client success.
- Market Demand Response: As the healthcare industry evolves rapidly, EXL addresses the urgent need for payers to enhance organizational efficiency and improve overall member health through comprehensive digital transformation solutions, further solidifying its leadership position in the healthcare services market.

- Leadership Elevation: EXL has promoted Raghav Jaggi to Executive Vice President, Insurance Practice Leader, recognizing his over 20 years of contributions and exceptional leadership, which is expected to further enhance the company's market leadership in the insurance sector.
- Business Innovation: In his role as Insurance Practice Leader, Raghav has driven digital transformation and data-driven innovation, helping global insurers accelerate growth and enhancing EXL's competitive edge in the industry.
- Team Building: He has built high-performing teams and played a key role in various leadership positions, strengthening relationships with major global insurers, thereby improving client satisfaction and business development capabilities.
- Cultural Shaping: As a member of the Operating Committee, Raghav actively promotes the establishment of an innovation culture through initiatives like IdeaTank and EXL's Venture Labs, fostering innovative thinking and practices within the company.

- Employee Satisfaction Boost: EXL has achieved the 2025 Great Place to Work Certification in India, with 82% of employees considering it a great workplace, which not only reflects the company's commitment to its workforce but also enhances its attractiveness in the talent market.
- Cultural Recognition: This certification is based on employee feedback, emphasizing EXL's people-first culture and ongoing investment in employee growth, thereby increasing employee loyalty and engagement.
- Recruitment Advantage: Research indicates that job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find great leadership at certified companies, which will help EXL attract and retain top talent in a competitive market.
- Future Growth Potential: The certification not only enhances EXL's corporate image but also lays a foundation for business growth across various sectors, including insurance, healthcare, and banking, further driving innovation and market leadership.





