McKinsey Adds AI Avatar Debate to Entry-Level Hiring as Consulting Firms Race to Test AI-Ready Talent

McKinsey & Company is rolling out an artificial intelligence interview component in which entry-level applicants must collaborate with an AI avatar called Lilli to analyze business cases and defend their reasoning. The consulting giant has begun piloting the format in final-round interviews for graduate applicants in the United States and North America, with plans to expand the rollout to all junior recruits in spring and summer 2026.