KPMG to Include AI Adoption in Staff Performance Reviews from 2026

TL;DR: KPMG will begin evaluating staff use of artificial intelligence tools as part of annual performance assessments from 2026. The Big Four firm already monitors employee engagement with AI platforms including Microsoft Copilot, with leadership emphasising developmental rather than punitive objectives. The initiative reflects broader professional services trends as firms invest in AI capabilities to enhance efficiency.

AI Objectives Become Performance Criteria

From 2026, KPMG’s workforce will be assessed on how effectively they have met the organisation’s AI objectives during annual performance reviews, according to Bloomberg reporting.

Niale Cleobury, KPMG’s global AI workforce lead, explained the rationale: “We all have a responsibility to be bringing AI to all of our work, and that’s not just the leadership, that is all the way down to our juniors.”

The firm is already monitoring employee engagement with AI through platforms including Microsoft Copilot. Cleobury stated: “Now we are taking that a step further by saying: ‘Actually everyone’s objectives at year-end—what are you going to do to bring in AI to your work?’”

Monitoring Framework Emphasises Development

KPMG is investing in supplementary tools to enhance tracking of staff engagement with AI technology. However, leadership maintains the monitoring serves developmental rather than punitive purposes.

Samantha Gloede, KPMG’s global head of risk services, clarified: “Monitoring is not for policing’s sake, we need to make sure that all staff are using these tools because that is the best way to do the jobs.”

Gloede emphasised the firm’s commitment to responsible AI implementation, stating the objective is to “measure the value that we are getting from the investment.”

Professional Services Sector Transformation

This initiative reflects broader industry trends, as professional services firms including Accenture and McKinsey have invested significantly in AI capabilities to enhance efficiency and profitability amid market demand pressures.

KPMG’s approach represents a shift from voluntary AI adoption to making it a formal component of performance management, signalling the firm’s view that AI literacy is becoming a core competency rather than an optional skill enhancement.

The move raises questions about how professional services firms will balance encouraging AI adoption with maintaining quality standards and addressing concerns about over-reliance on automated tools for client-facing work requiring professional judgement.

Source Attribution:

Share this article