AI in Action - KPMG to Rate Staff on AI Adoption in Performance Reviews
KPMG, one of the global “Big Four” consultancies, is rewiring its workplace evaluation methods: starting 2026, employee performance reviews will include a critical new metric—AI usage. This bold move signals the rapid shift toward a future where artificial intelligence is no longer a specialized asset but an industry expectation.[1]
What’s Changing?
KPMG will now actively track how employees engage with the firm’s AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot, folding these insights into staff evaluations. Rather than simply offering AI as an optional toolkit, the consultancy will gauge whether staff meet its internal AI adoption goals and reward those who leverage these capabilities efficiently. For KPMG, and likely for the broader consulting sector, technological fluency is quickly becoming as important as traditional core competencies.[1]
Why Does It Matter?
This policy shift isn’t just about boosting tech adoption for its own sake. KPMG’s data shows a direct link between staff use of generative AI and productivity: nearly three-quarters of KPMG AI-tool users say solutions like Microsoft Copilot make them more productive, with many reporting shorter drafting times and improved meeting outputs. As AI becomes embedded in client service delivery, companies are realizing that empowering employees to use these tools accelerates innovation, drives strategic value, and offers a competitive edge.[2]
Industry Context
Across the professional services landscape, AI adoption is climbing sharply. Analysts report that over 70% of businesses have baked AI into at least one function. KPMG’s move to explicitly tie AI utilization to employee advancement raises the bar—potentially triggering a domino effect among competitors and setting a precedent for other industries invested in digital transformation.[2]
Glossary
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Technology that performs tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as reasoning and data analysis.
- Generative AI: AI models that can create new content, ideas, or solutions, such as drafting documents or synthesizing data insights.
- Microsoft Copilot: An AI-powered productivity tool from Microsoft, integrated into office applications to assist with tasks like drafting emails and generating meeting summaries.
- Performance Review: An annual evaluation process where employee contributions, development, and goals are formally assessed.
Source
Original article: KPMG Staff to Be Rated on AI Usage in Yearly Performance Reviews - Bloomberg[1][2]
