Current reporting describes the avatar exercise as an additional pilot interaction following a case interview, not a confirmed replacement for McKinsey’s standard case interviews.

The distinction matters because the two formats emphasize different activities. Traditional cases still involve structuring and analyzing a business problem, whereas the avatar portion gives an assessor an opportunity to observe how you communicate with a simulated client.

For instance, you might finish explaining a business recommendation in a conventional case and then be asked to discuss a related concern in a simulated client conversation. This example is illustrative, not an official sequence of prompts.

Keep practising structuring, calculations, and synthesis for your regular cases. If the avatar is on your itinerary, add a few verbal recommendation and listening exercises rather than replacing your normal preparation.

For a deeper explanation, see the McKinsey AI avatar interview guide for how the exercise fits into recruiting.

The discussion about who is selected for the avatar pilot covers why not every applicant should expect this exercise.

Good to know I should not drop regular case prep just because this pilot exists.

I would definitely ask the recruiter if the itinerary is unclear.