Latest news with #StephanieTerrill
Cision Canada
06-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Media Advisory: Bringing AI to life in Alberta with KPMG in Canada
AI Made Real Summit brings together business and thought leaders to share knowledge and insights on achieving results with AI CALGARY, AB and EDMONTON, AB, May 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Members of the media are invited to attend KPMG in Canada's AI Made Real Summit, an afternoon of panel discussions, keynote presentations and live technology demonstrations for C-Suite executives, senior decision-makers, finance professionals, technology and human resources leaders in Edmonton on May 13 and Calgary on May 15. Presented in collaboration with Microsoft Canada, the third annual summit is part of a series of exclusive half-day events in six major Canadian cities featuring real-life case studies from organizations that have implemented AI successfully, and practical strategies for organizations looking to achieve results with AI. "Over the past few years, we've seen the impact AI has made across our professional and personal lives. Now, with agentic AI, Canadian business leaders can unlock enormous efficiency gains and improve quality to a whole new level, if they get ahead of the curve and start adopting the technology," says Stephanie Terrill, Canadian Managing Partner of Digital and Transformation, KPMG in Canada. "This event brings together some of Alberta's most innovative leaders who will share their knowledge, insights and experience so others can learn how to transform their business with AI," she adds. Members of the media who wish to attend the summit can contact Alannah Page of KPMG in Canada's media relations team at [email protected]. KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see SOURCE KPMG LLP
Associated Press
01-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
KPMG in Canada launches Agentic AI Engine dedicated to helping Canadian organizations leverage the power of AI agents
Firm accelerates its investments and capabilities in agentic AI to support Canadian organizations with made-in-Canada solutions TORONTO and VANCOUVER, BC, May 1, 2025 /CNW/ - KPMG in Canada is bolstering its capabilities in artificial intelligence with significant investments in new agentic AI platforms, tools and solutions to empower organizations to leverage digital agents – AI systems that can operate independently, make decisions and perform tasks with minimal or no human intervention. 'Agentic AI has the potential to revolutionize the way Canadian businesses operate. This is the most powerful form of AI in human history to date, and we believe it can help Canadian organizations boost efficiency by up to 30 per cent over the next three years by empowering higher output from teams and individuals working alongside digital agents,' says Stephanie Terrill, Canadian Managing Partner of Digital and Transformation, KPMG in Canada. 'At a time when Canada faces a productivity crisis and a trade war, digital agents can change the way we work, unlock enormous efficiency gains and improve quality, so it's imperative for us to invest in Canadian organizations with made-in-Canada tools and solutions that will help them thrive – both at home and on the global stage,' she says. Walter Pela, AI Client and Market Development Lead for KPMG in Canada says 'Almost nine in 10 business leaders across the country have told us they see agentic AI as key to staying competitive, cutting operational costs and boosting profitability. Our investment in agentic AI gives us the insight, skills and services to help home-grown organizations accelerate and achieve those goals and help future-proof themselves in a period of economic uncertainty.' The investments build on KPMG in Canada's ongoing commitment to using AI to help Canadian organizations solve complex business challenges and increase productivity. A portion of the investment will go towards the establishment of KPMG's Agentic AI Engine. Agentic AI Engine KPMG in Canada's Agentic AI Engine powers the development of agentic AI solutions for Canadian organizations, engages in research and development, and enables the deployment of digital agents across KPMG platforms, services and solutions. The Agentic AI Engine will facilitate collaboration with industry leaders, AI research institutes, and technology alliance innovators to share knowledge and insights on agentic AI advancements. The Engine will also help accelerate AI adoption among Canadian organizations and business leaders through workshops, demonstrations and collaborations, turning theoretical concepts into practical solutions. The Agentic AI Engine has already spurred development of numerous AI agents for Canadian organizations, such as: The Agentic AI Engine will also help advance new agentic AI applications across other technologies such as emergent industrial digital twin environments. KPMG in Canada is accelerating the development of these technologies through additional investments in talent and intellectual property. Powering tax with agents Working in concert with the Agentic AI Engine, KPMG in Canada's Ignition Tax will develop and deploy AI agents into KPMG's One Port, the firm's centralized, cloud-based hub for securely accessing and exchanging information, documents and client solutions related to tax compliance and advisory engagements. Ignition Tax will also enable AI agents in KPMG International's Digital Gateway, a cloud-based platform where clients can access KPMG's AI agents as well as a full suite of tax and legal technologies from across the KPMG global network of member firms. 'Deploying AI agents through platforms like One Port and Digital Gateway will enhance the work of KPMG Tax and Law professionals with new digital workflows. These new workflows are underpinned by a human verification system, ensuring oversight by KPMG professionals,' says Lucy Iacovelli, Canadian Managing Partner for Tax and Legal, KPMG in Canada. Enhancing audit quality with digital agents To accelerate integration of AI, KPMG audit professionals in Canada have embedded digital agents into KPMG Clara, the firm's global smart audit platform and centralized portal for exchanging information and documentation related to audits. 'Digital agents embedded into Clara will deliver deeper audit insights and enable audit professionals to more effectively respond to risks. Clara's digital agents will also help standardize workflows, accelerate decision-making and harmonize processes to produce more consistent outcomes, which in turn, improves audit quality and enhances public trust,' says Sebastian Distefano, Canadian Managing Partner, Audit & Assurance, KPMG in Canada. Executive training in agentic AI The Skills Development Centre will feature new agentic AI training and upskilling modules for executives and business leaders to expand and update their knowledge of digital agents. The Skills Development Centre is a collaborative training initiative by KPMG in Canada and Microsoft Canada offering complimentary and custom-tailored programs designed to help businesses and governments understand the opportunities and challenges of AI. To date, more than 53,000 Canadians have received professional training and upskilling in AI and cybersecurity through the Skills Development Centre. Deploying agents with KPMG Kleo KPMG in Canada's agentic AI investment also expands the firm's internal capabilities with enhancements to its systems, workflows and workforce. By bringing agentic AI functionality into Kleo, the firm's proprietary generative AI platform, the firm's professionals can develop their own AI agents to complete actions and tasks more efficiently – enabling more innovation, strategic execution and high-quality solutions for Canadian organizations. 'Our expertise in building AI agents for clients starts with our own journey within KPMG. By building, testing and deploying agentic AI innovations internally as 'Client Zero' first, we can deliver solutions to Canadian organizations that are grounded in experience, trust, security and quality,' says Ms. Terrill. About KPMG in Canada KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see For media inquiries: Roula Meditskos National Communications and Media Relations KPMG in Canada 416-549-7982 [email protected] SOURCE KPMG LLP
Cision Canada
01-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
KPMG in Canada launches Agentic AI Engine dedicated to helping Canadian organizations leverage the power of AI agents Français
Firm accelerates its investments and capabilities in agentic AI to support Canadian organizations with made-in-Canada solutions TORONTO and VANCOUVER, BC, May 1, 2025 /CNW/ - KPMG in Canada is bolstering its capabilities in artificial intelligence with significant investments in new agentic AI platforms, tools and solutions to empower organizations to leverage digital agents – AI systems that can operate independently, make decisions and perform tasks with minimal or no human intervention. "Agentic AI has the potential to revolutionize the way Canadian businesses operate. This is the most powerful form of AI in human history to date, and we believe it can help Canadian organizations boost efficiency by up to 30 per cent over the next three years by empowering higher output from teams and individuals working alongside digital agents," says Stephanie Terrill, Canadian Managing Partner of Digital and Transformation, KPMG in Canada. "At a time when Canada faces a productivity crisis and a trade war, digital agents can change the way we work, unlock enormous efficiency gains and improve quality, so it's imperative for us to invest in Canadian organizations with made-in-Canada tools and solutions that will help them thrive – both at home and on the global stage," she says. Walter Pela, AI Client and Market Development Lead for KPMG in Canada says "Almost nine in 10 business leaders across the country have told us they see agentic AI as key to staying competitive, cutting operational costs and boosting profitability. Our investment in agentic AI gives us the insight, skills and services to help home-grown organizations accelerate and achieve those goals and help future-proof themselves in a period of economic uncertainty." The investments build on KPMG in Canada's ongoing commitment to using AI to help Canadian organizations solve complex business challenges and increase productivity. A portion of the investment will go towards the establishment of KPMG's Agentic AI Engine. Agentic AI Engine KPMG in Canada's Agentic AI Engine powers the development of agentic AI solutions for Canadian organizations, engages in research and development, and enables the deployment of digital agents across KPMG platforms, services and solutions. The Agentic AI Engine will facilitate collaboration with industry leaders, AI research institutes, and technology alliance innovators to share knowledge and insights on agentic AI advancements. The Engine will also help accelerate AI adoption among Canadian organizations and business leaders through workshops, demonstrations and collaborations, turning theoretical concepts into practical solutions. The Agentic AI Engine has already spurred development of numerous AI agents for Canadian organizations, such as: An underwriting agent that can streamline claims processing and loan underwriting processes, automate document review and compliance checks, and reduce the time spent on administrative tasks by approximately 40 per cent. A customer service agent that can triage inquiries, personalize offers and complete customer returns, freeing up hundreds to thousands of hours for workforce professionals to focus on more complex tasks. A risk management agent that continuously analyzes organizational data and external sources to help risk professionals identify, assess and mitigate potential risks. The agent can generate risk assessments and provide real-time risk monitoring and alerts. An assessment agent that ingests data from various sources such as meeting transcripts, data models and surveys and identifies areas for improvement within an organization. An ESG due diligence agent that helps private equity firms analyze material ESG risks in the due diligence process when identifying investments. The Agentic AI Engine will also help advance new agentic AI applications across other technologies such as emergent industrial digital twin environments. KPMG in Canada is accelerating the development of these technologies through additional investments in talent and intellectual property. Powering tax with agents Working in concert with the Agentic AI Engine, KPMG in Canada's Ignition Tax will develop and deploy AI agents into KPMG's One Port, the firm's centralized, cloud-based hub for securely accessing and exchanging information, documents and client solutions related to tax compliance and advisory engagements. Ignition Tax will also enable AI agents in KPMG International's Digital Gateway, a cloud-based platform where clients can access KPMG's AI agents as well as a full suite of tax and legal technologies from across the KPMG global network of member firms. "Deploying AI agents through platforms like One Port and Digital Gateway will enhance the work of KPMG Tax and Law professionals with new digital workflows. These new workflows are underpinned by a human verification system, ensuring oversight by KPMG professionals," says Lucy Iacovelli, Canadian Managing Partner for Tax and Legal, KPMG in Canada. Enhancing audit quality with digital agents To accelerate integration of AI, KPMG audit professionals in Canada have embedded digital agents into KPMG Clara, the firm's global smart audit platform and centralized portal for exchanging information and documentation related to audits. "Digital agents embedded into Clara will deliver deeper audit insights and enable audit professionals to more effectively respond to risks. Clara's digital agents will also help standardize workflows, accelerate decision-making and harmonize processes to produce more consistent outcomes, which in turn, improves audit quality and enhances public trust," says Sebastian Distefano, Canadian Managing Partner, Audit & Assurance, KPMG in Canada. Executive training in agentic AI The Skills Development Centre will feature new agentic AI training and upskilling modules for executives and business leaders to expand and update their knowledge of digital agents. The Skills Development Centre is a collaborative training initiative by KPMG in Canada and Microsoft Canada offering complimentary and custom-tailored programs designed to help businesses and governments understand the opportunities and challenges of AI. To date, more than 53,000 Canadians have received professional training and upskilling in AI and cybersecurity through the Skills Development Centre. Deploying agents with KPMG Kleo KPMG in Canada's agentic AI investment also expands the firm's internal capabilities with enhancements to its systems, workflows and workforce. By bringing agentic AI functionality into Kleo, the firm's proprietary generative AI platform, the firm's professionals can develop their own AI agents to complete actions and tasks more efficiently – enabling more innovation, strategic execution and high-quality solutions for Canadian organizations. "Our expertise in building AI agents for clients starts with our own journey within KPMG. By building, testing and deploying agentic AI innovations internally as 'Client Zero' first, we can deliver solutions to Canadian organizations that are grounded in experience, trust, security and quality," says Ms. Terrill. About KPMG in Canada KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see SOURCE KPMG LLP
Cision Canada
30-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Media Advisory: Bringing AI to life in the GTA with KPMG in Canada
AI Made Real Summit brings together business and thought leaders to share knowledge and insights on achieving results with AI TORONTO, April 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Members of the media are invited to attend KPMG in Canada's AI Made Real Summit, a half-day of panel discussions, keynote presentations and live technology demonstrations for C-Suite executives, senior decision-makers, finance professionals, technology and human resources leaders in Toronto on May 7 and Kitchener on May 27. Held in collaboration with Microsoft Canada, the summits are part of a series of exclusive events in six major Canadian cities featuring real-life case studies from organizations that have implemented AI successfully, and practical strategies for organizations looking to achieve results with AI. "Artificial intelligence is advancing more rapidly than ever, especially with the evolution of digital agents, which nearly 9 in 10 Canadian organizations recognize as a competitive differentiator. Even so, many organizations are still unsure of how to use AI effectively, and they're not realizing the full benefits from the technology," says Stephanie Terrill, Canadian Managing Partner of Digital and Transformation, KPMG in Canada. "At our AI Made Real Summit, business and thought leaders will exchange ideas, knowledge and insights about AI that will help them stay ahead of the curve, and turn theoretical concepts into practical solutions that can be applied at their organizations." "We're at a critical juncture in the Canadian economy: we're dealing with a trade war and a productivity crisis. AI can help Canadian businesses be more agile, innovative and competitive as they face an uncertain economy," she adds. Members of the media are invited to register for the summit by contacting KPMG in Canada's media relations team. Details of the events are listed below: AI Made Real Summit Toronto Date: May 7, 2025 Time: 1 pm - 6 pm EST Location: Design Exchange, 234 Bay St., Toronto Agenda and Speakers: Agenda - AI Made Real: KPMG AI Summits AI Made Real Summit Kitchener Date: May 27, 2025 Time: 8 am – 11:45 am EST Location: KPMG at the Glovebox, 120 Victoria Street South, Kitchener, Ontario Agenda and Speakers: Agenda - AI Made Real: KPMG AI Summits KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country. The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see SOURCE KPMG LLP
Globe and Mail
10-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Canadian organizations turning to agentic AI, KPMG poll shows
More than half plan to invest in agentic AI in the next six months, survey reveals TORONTO , April 10, 2025 /CNW/ - While most Canadian organizations have adopted generative AI tools to help improve business processes, many are shifting their focus to agentic artificial intelligence to accelerate those gains, envisioning a future where AI agents work alongside employees to transform their business unlike any other technology. "Agentic AI is revolutionary and will bring forth the next industrial revolution and completely change what we thought was possible for business and human life" - survey respondent A new KPMG in Canada survey of 252 business leaders shows most are planning near-term investments in agentic AI to gain a competitive edge, revolutionize operations, lower costs, increase efficiency and fill critical skills gaps. Agentic AI systems can operate independently by using tools such as large language models to make decisions and perform tasks with minimal or no human intervention. AI agents can perform a variety of tasks independently, such as responding to customer inquiries, placing and tracking orders, building lead generation lists, and managing refunds. Just over one quarter ( 27 per cent ) of survey respondents have already deployed agentic AI in their organization, and nearly two-thirds ( 64 per cent ) are either exploring use cases, actively experimenting with the technology or conducting pilot projects. More than half ( 57 per cent ) plan to invest in or adopt agentic AI in the next six months, and 34 per cent within the next 12 months. "Agentic AI is a nascent technology, but it's the most transformative AI we've ever seen in human history to date. We are already seeing humans work alongside agents as organizations use the technology to fill critical skills gaps, boost productivity and efficiency. Using AI agents for repetitive tasks allows an organization to re-focus their workforce on the more critical work, such as strategy and innovation," says Stephanie Terrill , Canadian Managing Partner for Digital and Transformation at KPMG in Canada . "Almost nine in 10 Canadian business leaders see agentic AI as a top investment priority that will help their organizations gain a competitive edge – that's a strong sign that this technology will fundamentally change the business landscape in Canada ," she adds. Almost three quarters ( 72 per cent ) of respondents said they were "very familiar" with the concept of agentic AI, but only two thirds ( 66 per cent ) were "very familiar" with how the technology could be applied in their organization or industry. "There's a knowledge gap between business leaders' understanding of agentic AI and how they can use it to their advantage. Awareness, education and real-life experimentation can help close that gap," Ms. Terrill says. "We expect awareness of agentic AI to grow rapidly in the months ahead, and more Canadian organizations will continue to experiment with and invest in the technology – perhaps even more so than generative AI." Key survey highlights 27 per cent said their organizations have adopted or deployed agentic AI and have active use cases in their organization 35 per cent are actively experimenting with agentic AI and have pilot projects and test use cases 29 per cent are currently exploring agentic AI and potential use cases 8 per cent hope to plan or explore/experiment uses cases with agentic AI Only 1 per cent are not exploring agentic AI and don't have any plans to said their organizations have adopted or deployed agentic AI and have active use cases in their organization 57 per cent plan to invest in or adopt agentic AI in the next six months 34 per cent within the next 12 months 6 per cent within the next 2 years plan to invest in or adopt agentic AI in the next six months 72 per cent said they were very familiar with the concept of agentic AI and 25 per cent were somewhat familiar said they were very familiar with the concept of agentic AI and were somewhat familiar 66 per cent said they were very familiar with agentic AI's potential applications in their organization or industry and 31 per cent were somewhat familiar said they were very familiar with agentic AI's potential applications in their organization or industry and were somewhat familiar 88 per cent agreed adopting agentic AI will help my organization be more competitive, with 58 per cent agreeing strongly agreed adopting agentic AI will help my organization be more competitive, with agreeing strongly 86 per cent said agentic AI is a top investment priority for their organization Putting agentic AI to work Respondents said they plan to deploy agentic AI in their organizations to improve efficiency in a number of areas, including customer service, cybersecurity, compliance and regulatory management, communications and accounting. "With generative AI, organizations deployed chatbots to respond to customer inquiries about refunds. In the era of agentic AI, those chatbots not only respond to queries for refunds, they issue those refunds quickly," says Ms. Terrill. Respondents said the biggest benefits they expect to gain from agentic AI include faster and better access to information, better decision-making and increased productivity. Respondents said the top challenges or barriers they anticipate in implementing agentic AI include cybersecurity/privacy concerns, data quality and the cost to deploy the technology. A majority of respondents ( 63 per cent ) said they expect agentic AI to boost their organization's profitability between five to 15 per cent, while 58 per cent said they expect the technology to reduce operating costs by a similar amount. Gary Filan , KPMG's AI Lead in Canada says the most effective way to yield more value from agentic AI should be by incorporating it into existing and new applications, rather than isolated use cases. "Standalone AI agents can help businesses automate tasks in a certain area, but organizations can yield more value from agentic AI by incorporating the technology across software applications. Integrated agents that can coordinate tasks across various workflows and business functions will help companies move beyond simple task automation to more dynamic business processes and workflows; that's a major shift that can boost productivity and profitability significantly," he says. A workforce shift While most respondents agreed agentic AI would bring value to their organizations, more than half ( 55 per cent ) said their workforce is not ready to work with or alongside AI agents, and nearly nine in 10 ( 89 per cent ) said their organization will need to invest in significant education, upskilling and workforce training to understand agentic AI's capabilities before adopting it. Nearly all ( 92 per cent ) respondents said agentic AI will help their organization save costs by making human-led processes and workflows quicker and more efficient, while 89 per cent agreed agentic AI will allow their organization to fill a labour or skills gap. Agentic AI's ability to make decisions on its own has led to concerns that the technology will replace humans, and business leaders acknowledged this in their survey responses: eight in 10 ( 82 per cent ) said agentic AI will help their organization reduce headcount, while nearly three quarters ( 72 per cent ) said there is concern among their employees that agentic AI will replace them and/or other business teams and functions. "While it may be tempting for some organizations to use agentic AI to reduce labour costs, there are other more significant costs associated with reducing headcount – including loss of institutional knowledge, reputational damage, and employee morale and loyalty. There are ways to strategically reorganize the workforce around AI to optimize headcount and create a flexible, technology-enabled workforce for the future," says Mr. Filan. About the survey KPMG in Canada surveyed 252 Canadian businesses from February 28 to March 5, 2025 , using Sago's premier research panel. 72 per cent of respondents identified as business owners and 28 per cent are senior level decision makers (C-suite, board member, executive, VP/Senior mgmt.). 16 per cent of respondents are in banking and capital markets; 15 per cent in industrial manufacturing; 15 per cent in technology, media and telecommunications; 12 per cent in consumer, retail and leisure; remaining respondents are spread out across other industries. 22 per cent of respondents' organizations reported annual revenues of $50M - $99.9 million ; 19 per cent reported between $100M and $299.9 million ; 10 per cent between $300M and $499.9 million ; 13 per cent between $500M and $699.9 million ; 10 per cent between $700 million and $899.9 million ; 12 per cent between $900 million and $1 billion ; and 14 per cent reported annual revenues over $1 billion . About KPMG in Canada KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada , serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country.
