The pilot's results have not been announced, and McKinsey has not said whether it will expand the program globally. Coverage of the pilot is still early. Separately, since January 2026, the firm has added an AI component to some final rounds in which candidates work with Lilli, its internal generative AI tool. According to the Irish Times, that Lilli test is a single evaluation rather than pass-or-fail, and McKinsey would extend it to all junior recruits if the avatar pilot succeeds. Reported criteria include curiosity, judgment, and whether candidates can challenge AI output and adapt it to a client's needs.
Attorneys advising on hiring should watch how the pilot is scored and whether it expands beyond North America, since AI-assessed or AI-assisted evaluations raise questions about fairness, transparency, and documentation under employment law. The broader backdrop is significant: CEO Bob Sternfels has said McKinsey runs about 20,000 AI agents, and the Irish Times reported a target of cutting 10% of non-client-facing roles over two years, potentially more than 1,000 jobs. CaseBasix, a coaching firm, told the Irish Times that Boston Consulting Group and Bain are also likely to add AI to their interviews. The shift matters because it moves AI from consultants' daily tools into the hiring process itself, and it signals that employers may assess how applicants collaborate with AI, not just how they use it, at a time when entry-level hiring is tight.