Because VC money depends on the company’s growth plans, and VC money isn’t offered if “AI” isn’t part of the product any more. (Sample size of one, told by a friend who’s in direct contact with the CEO.)

And also I suspect most companies work with big consultants like Bain and McKinsey because they (the companies) are scared and clueless and have no vision about how to run their businesses, which is perfect for them (the big consultants) to extract value from them with smoke up their holes and predictions about a future no one has ever seen yet.