Modernising procurement
As procurement becomes more complex and regulated, Ausgrid – Australia’s largest energy network on the east coast – explored opportunities to deliver affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to the community by working smarter.
Ausgrid partnered with KPMG and Microsoft to pilot AI‑enabled guided buying, testing how KPMG’s accelerator, powered by KymChat, could support procurement decision making while reducing manual workload.
Underpinned by Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI, the pilot focused on validating faster, more confident and compliant purchasing decisions. It connects directly with existing systems, cuts administration, improves accuracy, and frees Ausgrid’s people to focus on higher value work.
About the client
Client: Ausgrid
Project: AI-driven procurement
Location: New South Wales
Sector: Energy
Services: AI-enabled procurement transformation, implementation of KymChat-powered guided buying accelerator, Microsoft Azure OpenAI integration.
What was needed
Ausgrid’s procurement team needed to work faster, remain compliant and manage growing pressures. To explore a modern approach to decision making, they required a pilot solution that could:
- support faster, more confident and compliant procurement decisions
- reduce manual effort and free teams for higher-value strategic work
- address skill shortages and integration challenges without major system changes
- strengthen governance by embedding policy-aligned guidance into everyday decisions
- improve accuracy, reduce errors and streamline processes across the procurement lifecycle.
What we did
- Co‑innovated with Microsoft to pilot KymChat, a secure, enterprise‑grade AI assistant built on Azure OpenAI and integrated into KPMG’s Workbench.
- Embedded selected Ausgrid policies, processes and procurement rules into KymChat to test guided, compliant decision making.
- Integrated the KymChat powered guided buying procurement accelerator into existing systems in a controlled way to minimise disruption and fast-track adoption.
- Streamlined targeted procurement workflows by reducing manual effort, improving accuracy and freeing teams for more strategic work.
- Designed the pilot with scalability in mind, using learnings to inform potential future phases.
What we delivered
- A secure AI‑powered guided buying accelerator piloted within Ausgrid’s procurement environment, aligned to existing policies and governance controls.
- Early evidence of faster, more confident and compliant procurement decisions within participating teams.
- Ausgrid reports fewer errors, improved efficiency and stronger user feedback.
- Initial reductions in manual effort and administration time.
- Improved accuracy and alignment with existing systems and data.
See AI-driven procurement with KymChat in action
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Frequently asked questions
KymChat is KPMG’s secure, enterprise-grade AI assistant that can be tailored for different areas of business, including to support procurement teams with more efficient and de-risked outcomes. Co-innovated with Microsoft, KymChat is built on Azure OpenAI and integrated into KPMG’s Workbench to guide confident, compliant decision-making across industries and functions.
KymChat sits within KPMG’s AI platform KymX, that offers a pathway for organisations to run smarter with autonomous digital workers that can spot opportunities, act and deliver measurable business results fast – enabling and empowering more strategic, human-led work.
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KymChat connects to your current systems and data, embedding policy-aligned guidance into everyday workflows so teams work faster without a major system overhaul.
Deployment timelines vary based on integration complexity and customisation needs, but KymChat’s cloud-native design allows for rapid set-up. Many clients see initial value within weeks, with full rollout and training supported by KPMG’s experienced implementation team.
KymChat is embedded with strong privacy, governance and controls, aligning decisions with internal policies and operating in a highly regulated environment.
KymChat aligns with ISO 42001 by leveraging KPMG Australia’s globally recognised leadership in AI governance. As the first firm certified to this standard, KPMG embeds responsible AI controls into its policies, processes and structures, ensuring KymChat operates within a robust, organisation-wide framework for trustworthy and accountable AI.