KPMG US is putting new tools in its employees' hands.
Paul Knopp, the KPMG US CEO, said the firm has decided to give the artificial intelligence tool Microsoft Copilot to all of its more than 40,000 employees. For KPMG, the decision gives the accounting and consulting firm an edge with talent.
"It's not an inexpensive thing to do," Knopp said. "If you're a Gen Z student coming out of college, or just a Gen Z employee in the workforce for two or three years, you want those capabilities. You need those capabilities to do your job. We're seeing it as a way to attract and retain more talent."
Knopp was at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish ahead of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, a major tournament for the LPGA Tour that begins Thursday. Knopp spoke with the Business Journal about the firm's Seattle plans, partnerships and food.
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Why is it important for KPMG to sponsor this golf major?
We want to see more equity in the game. Women have courses they play on, price purses and TV coverage that is more close to what the men experience. ... It's about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Women are not underrepresented in society, but they are sure as heck underrepresented in business. We want to make sure we are walking the talk when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion.
KPMG is investing a lot in new technology. How does Seattle fit into that?
It's a really vibrant and important market that we see as a growth market. We're investing in the market. Our national leader of technology, Mark Gibson, is here in Seattle. We see it as a market where we have these important alliance partners. We have these important clients. We need to invest more.
How does AI fit into plans with your workforce?
I've been with KPMG for 41 years almost. I've seen every emerging technology come on the scene. With every emerging technology, it's actually grown our workforce because our business grows. There's no doubt that some of the more routine things people do and mundane things people do will be done by technology. That's part of the idea. Our people don't really want to do those routine, mundane things. They want to do more strategic things.
In this day and age, is it important to be close to partners like Microsoft and T-Mobile?
Yes and no. We sat at home for a year and a half during the pandemic and did everything that KPMG does remotely from home. We've proven that we can, in a flexible way, deliver the things we do remotely. ... The "yes" part is the relationships. They still matter. There's less of that than there was before the pandemic, but still, we've really worked hard to try to get our people traveling more and out to see our clients.
What are you most looking forward to this week?
I'm not a golfer personally, but I'm a big sports fan. I enjoy watching the women play. ... It's so exciting to watch the tournament unfold.
What's the best meal you've had in the area so far?
I just got here yesterday. The only meal I've had was last night I got to participate in the Women's PGA Champions Dinner. ... The woman who won last year, Ruoning Yin from China, got to pick the meal. She had everything from sushi to steak, and at the very end she had these ice cream sandwiches that are famous in San Francisco. I forget the brand name. It was delicious.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
