McKinsey to test job applicants with an AI-simulated client

McKinsey & Company, the global management consulting firm, plans to have some entry-level job candidates talk with an AI-generated client during the hiring process. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, described on October 14, 2026, applicants will hold a roughly 10-minute conversation with the simulated client as one step of their interviews.

The exercise will apply to some, not all, entry-level applicants. Details remain thin: it is not yet clear which offices or roles will use the simulation, when it will start, or how candidates' performance will be scored and weighed against other parts of the process.

A twist on the classic case interview

McKinsey has long been known for its case interviews, in which candidates work through a business problem in real time with an interviewer. An AI stand-in for a client appears designed to probe a different skill: how well a would-be consultant handles a live conversation with the kind of person they would be advising on the job.

The move fits a broader pattern of employers bringing AI into recruitment, from screening résumés to running early-stage interviews. Having candidates converse directly with an AI character, however, pushes that trend into a more interactive and role-play-driven format.

Why it matters

Because McKinsey is one of the most influential names in consulting, its hiring practices are often watched and copied by rivals and other large employers. If the simulation proves useful, similar tools could spread across professional services recruiting.

AI-based assessments also raise familiar questions about fairness, transparency and potential bias in how candidates are judged. McKinsey has not publicly detailed how its system was built or evaluated, and further information on the rollout has yet to emerge. For graduates targeting consulting jobs, interview preparation may soon need to include practice talking with a machine.