Automation is rising, so is the value of human judgement

Tech enablement and AI have already transformed every aspect of what we do—and will make the fundamentals of what we've always done more important than ever.

It’s been rather extraordinary really — the last half decade hasn’t warranted change, it demanded it. COVID shook our foundations. The talent pool feels like it’s halved with the demands of those within it doubling. The regulatory pressure on businesses continues to snowball and clients now want—and need—more support than ever. All in all, the cost of doing business has soared. At the same time, technological capability has sky rocketed, with AI embedded in our daily lives —whether as a supercharged search tool or as the engine behind business- critical operations.

For firms in the finance industry, embracing technology, embedding AI, and carving out space to think strategically and innovate are no longer optional. Without doing so, obsolescence is not a risk—it’s a certainty.

The urgency of bold action

 In today’s environment, approaching transformation with a traditional 3–5 year lens is no longer viable. By the time you start executing, the landscape may already have shifted. The firms that will lead are those that seize this moment—not with caution or incrementalism, but with bold, decisive action. Inaction isn’t just risky—it’s a fast track to irrelevance. The challenge now is to balance speed with strategic clarity, and boldness with responsibility. Human skills will become more valuable.

Where I believe some misunderstand the impact is in fearing that automation will diminish human contribution to our success. In reality, it’s quite the opposite—the more we automate, the more valuable human input becomes. Trust. Relationships. Judgement. These are the timeless skills that will define the winners in this new era.

Innovation isn’t new to our industry — but the pace and scale of it is. We’ve seen digital onboarding, workflow automation, and cloud-based compliance tools become the norm. KPMG has been at the forefront of this, delivering market-changing solutions that have helped clients scale, streamline, and stay ahead. We’ve explored boldly and learned wisely. Those experiences have sharpened our focus and reaffirmed the value of doubling down on what we do best — and where we can make the greatest impact. The real magic happens when we take our core strengths and supercharge them with tech and AI, finding better ways to deliver what our industry values from us. That’s where we create real, scalable impact notably in the automated delivery of corporate and partnership tax returns and diagnostics tools in the FATCA/CRS space, and there is so much more to come.

The current landscape

Right now, what I am seeing is some shining lights, some fading futures and most people in the middle working out what to do next. Knowing change is needed but unsure where to start. We’re hearing the same themes again and again:

• Talent shortages are biting hard — especially in specialist roles.
• Manual processes are still everywhere, draining time and morale and resisting change.
• Regulatory pressure is increasing, with more scrutiny and less tolerance for error.
• Clients are demanding more — faster turnaround, better insights, and more value for money.

Fatigue and hesitation

There’s also a sense of fatigue. After years of reacting to crises — from COVID to economic shocks — many firms are struggling to find the headspace to think strategically about innovation. The greatest barriers to innovation I observe locally stem from hesitancy in decision-making. While it’s essential to have proper governance in place before implementing large-scale changes, excessive caution can stifle progress. What I’ve observed is that businesses often rely heavily on input from current process users—such as the team preparing tax returns—to define how those processes should change. Additionally, increasingly complex ownership models in administrative functions can delay decision-making to the point where more agile competitors made those decisions years ago, further widening the service gap.

A clear divide is emerging

In the coming years, a clear and decisive divide will inevitably emerge. On one side: firms that embrace tech and AI to enhance and invest in, alongside investing in talent with fantastic people skills, to deepen their client and intermediary relationships. And on the other: those who resist, delay, or dabble — and quickly fall behind.

Enablement, not replacement

I see our role in the future as about enablement, not replacement. In our business AI won’t take your job from you, but the person who embraces it will. It will make each of us faster, sharper, and more valuable if we are open to let it.

At KPMG, we’re not just talking about this — we’re doing it. We’re embedding AI into our most traditional services, helping clients unlock value without reinventing the wheel. And we’re doing it in a way that’s collaborative, not prescriptive.

The human impact of getting it right

What excites me most is seeing the people impact. When firms get this right, it’s not just about efficiency — it’s about culture. Teams feel empowered. Morale improves. Talent retention goes up. And clients notice the difference. We’ve seen firms go from firefighting to futureproofing. From reactive to proactive. From overwhelmed to in control. That’s the real reward — helping people rediscover the joy in their work by removing the friction. We know we are part of the future, today, and we want to work with you to help enhance what you can do, now.

Whilst these are my opinions, it won’t surprise you to know AI helped me to write this.