What’s Your aIQ?

This article is the first in our "What’s Your aIQ?" series, which provides KPMG insights on the most essential issues on clients’ minds as we navigate the artificial intelligence (Al) era. Our insights are backed up by learnings from our internal AI journey, helping ensure we share practical, tested solutions that add tangible value.

At KPMG, we are on a transformative journey, one that is deeply intertwined with the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). Operating as a chief AI officer (CAIO) at KPMG LLP, Steve Chase leads perhaps the most significant “makeover’ in the firm’s history -- KPMG aIQ. aIQ reflects our perspective that the true value of AI comes from augmenting the formidable human intelligence of our people with the capabilities of this increasingly ubiquitous set of technology tools and capabilities. While AI enables vast new opportunities, it is our human IQ—our talent, expertise, and experience—that makes the difference. 

Our vision is a new KPMG—one that infuses AI throughout our own enterprise and translates our internal learnings into game-changing value for our clients. We are building an AI-enabled firm that creates rewarding experiences for our people, and operates with astonishing speed, boldness, and an enduring sense of responsibility. At the same time, our AI-focused engagements will be distinguished by improved quality and accuracy, increased speed of delivery, and, ultimately, a differentiated client experience.

What’s Your aIQ? series, we will provide our insights on the most essential issues on clients’ minds as we all seek to navigate the AI era. In essence, we are forging a strategic blueprint for AI across the enterprise.

What are the keys to our AI vision?

1. Value: The value derived from AI at KPMG is realized through both enriched Advisory, Audit, and Tax client services and enhanced internal operations. We are committed to help ensure that every client engagement benefits from the enhanced quality, rapid analyses, scalability, and efficiency that AI offers. By using AI to analyze vast amounts of data and generate insights, KPMG helps clients identify trends, risks, and opportunities that allow them to make more informed decisions; optimize their operations; and ultimately achieve not only viability, but also growth, in an AI-centric future. Internally, our strategic vision is to integrate AI across all service lines, and streamline and elevate internal functions, such as marketing, finance, human resources, and procurement.
2. Human-centricity: In our view, the integration of AI won’t replace humans; rather, it will significantly enhance their capabilities and everyday work experiences. While AI can process and analyze data at an unprecedented scale, it is human insight, creativity, discernment, and decision-making that will unlock its true value. According to a recent internal pulse survey, 60 percent of AI users at KPMG report that generative AI (GenAI) tools enable them to allocate more time to valuable strategic tasks, thereby enhancing their productivity and creative output.
   
3. Trust: Trust is at the foundation of our AI strategy, particularly given that it is our most important asset as a leading professional services firm. Our Trusted AI framework is built on ten foundational principles that guide responsible, sustainable, and inclusive development and deployment of AI systems, both at our firm and in our work with clients. We are committed to transparency and disclosure in our AI governance: KPMG was one of the first companies to make a public commitment on responsible and ethical AI by publishing our Trusted AI principles, which were written in anticipation of the recently enacted European Union AI Act and National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) standards and adopted globally by our firm. Through our collaborations with leading consortiums, including the Microsoft Responsible AI Partner program, NIST Safety Consortium, and Responsible AI Institute, we are contributing to the overall dialogue on how to ensure AI is used safely, ethically, and without bias. Finally, we started disclosing our progress on Trusted AI governance in our annual Impact Plan this year. We are encouraging clients to take similar steps toward transparency and openness so that we are all working toward the same objectives associated with Trusted AI.