KPMG’s AI adoption blueprint: Trust first, leadership next, technology later

KPMG’s analyst day in mid-February 2025 reinforced a crucial insight: The most effective AI adoption strategies prioritize trust over technology. A humane approach—starting with trust as the foundation, followed by leadership coaching, employee upskilling, and collaborative future-state envisioning—ensures sustainable AI integration. Only once these elements are in place should AI tooling enter the picture. Organizations that follow this structured pathway will derive long-term value, while those that rush AI adoption without workforce readiness risk inefficiencies, skepticism, and stalled progress.

Lessons from industry leaders—what KPMG’s clients reveal

Real-world applications of KPMG’s AI offerings go beyond complex code and sophisticated algorithms. The KPMG Ignition team and a world-class space and aeronautics organization explored AI as a wellness play, unlocking the capacity for what truly matters: human curiosity, collaboration, and creativity. What differentiates KPMG client stories is that the organizations use leading technology to liberate teams from routine tasks and amplify our innately human capabilities—going beyond efficiency optimization to free those same teams to engage in higher-level thinking and more fulfilling endeavors.

A leading British aerospace, defense, and security company, in collaboration with KPMG, adopted a human-centered transformation model, proving that technology alone is not a panacea. By focusing on leadership alignment and change management, the company was able to restructure its Air Sector without disrupting critical operations. Ultimately, it reassigned 5,000 employees to new roles without resistance or loss of productivity.

A globally recognized athletic apparel retailer embraced AI as a revenue generator. It integrated Salesforce CRM’s AI-driven customer support capabilities to improve response times, eliminate process inefficiencies, and optimize customer satisfaction across all digital channels. With KPMG’s support, the company improved handling times and the customer service experience. For example, the returns journey was reduced from five days to hours.

KPMG Velocity: AI-powered knowledge and subsequent execution at scale

KPMG’s Velocity framework consolidates 150 years of expertise, domain knowledge, and consulting acumen into a single AI-powered platform. This platform enables multi-regional, multi-functional teams to rapidly deploy transformation strategies while ensuring knowledge continuity and execution consistency. The framework is not just about efficiency but also about building accumulated knowledge as a differentiator. Firms that hesitate will be unable to adapt to an environment where regulatory, technological, and competitive landscapes shift with unprecedented speed.

KPMG Workbench promises to decouple revenue from headcount

AI is no longer a novelty confined to research labs or niche applications. KPMG’s Workbench is laying the foundation for a future where revenue growth is no longer tied to workforce expansion. Still in its early stages, Workbench is evolving into a reusable AI asset capable of being deployed across client environments with minimal human intervention. By embedding automation and intelligent analytics, it aims to scale professional services in a way that fundamentally alters cost structures and efficiency metrics. The implications are profound:

• Automating routine and mid-level decision-making will require businesses to redefine the role of human workers.
• AI-driven process optimization will cut costs and determine which firms maintain pricing power in a volatile market.
• Those that lag in AI adoption will face a widening gap, akin to the competitive divide created by globalization in the early 2000s.

The power of networks via ecosystem

One of the most striking themes of KPMG’s discussions was the role of alliances in corporate success. The most adept firms are not those that build everything in-house but those that integrate into an ecosystem of technology partners, data providers, and operational enablers. KPMG’s alliances with Microsoft, SAP, and Salesforce illustrate this shift:

• The future of enterprise strategy will be dictated by those who best leverage external expertise to augment their capabilities.
• Proprietary technology alone will not be sufficient; interoperability and shared platforms will separate market leaders from also-rans.

Human myopia is the real barrier

Technology is advancing at a blistering pace, but many firms remain anchored to outdated models of organizational change. The common pitfall is a belief that digital initiatives can be bolted onto existing structures without altering incentives, governance, or workforce dynamics. KPMG’s emphasis on human-centric adoption is a stark reminder that success depends as much on psychology as on technology:

• Businesses that fail to retrain and upskill their employees will squander AI’s potential.
• The most successful adopters will be those who recognize AI as a complement to human ingenuity rather than a mere cost-cutting tool.

The Bottom Line: Enterprises must approach AI adoption by following a structured roadmap: First, establish trust, equip leadership with the right mindset, upskill employees, and then implement AI solutions.

While the trajectory is obvious, the specifics remain unresolved:

• How should firms quantify the financial returns of AI beyond efficiency gains?
• Will regulators keep pace with AI-driven decision-making, or will firms be forced into retroactive compliance?
• What new risks will emerge as AI systems become more autonomous?

For more than 150 years, KPMG has built a reputation of trust by advising enterprises through seismic economic shifts. The challenge today is no different. Businesses that answer these questions first will set the benchmarks for the coming decade.