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How to create a junior tech-agile workforce using GenAI in professional services

Natalie Runyon  Director / ESG content / Thomson Reuters Institute

· 5 minute read

Natalie Runyon  Director / ESG content / Thomson Reuters Institute

· 5 minute read

Forward-thinking organizations, such as PwC, are implementing AI tools across their enterprises to upskill their workforces and foster innovation

Future-oriented companies are rolling out AI-driven tools and generative AI (GenAI) solutions across the enterprise to better upskill their workforces and enable employees at all levels to leverage these technologies.

One of these companies is Big Four accounting and consulting giant PwC, which implemented a broad rollout of Microsoft’s Copilot from its most junior to senior levels after just 90 minutes of training. This democratization aims to empower all employees to experiment with AI and find ways to improve their daily workflows.

Training & development for a tech-agile workforce

This approach balances individual experimentation with more structured, team-level implementation for client-facing work. And while individuals are encouraged to use AI for personal productivity, teams are tasked with identifying consistent processes in which AI can be applied to capture enterprise-wide productivity gains, says Shelley Gilberg, Markets Leader of Managed Accounts at PwC Canada. More specifically, she adds, enterprise-wide initiatives — including developing prescriptive prompts for high-impact, cross-functional activities, such as proposal writing — were also in the mix.

Still, decisions at the top were needed to determine what “workflows were no-fly zones” — those areas of client services that PwC’s global network had to designate for effective risk management by ascertaining the legal risk, and “how the firm is protecting itself against IP infringement,” Gilberg adds.

Targeting the skills of the future for junior specialists — PwC also is taking an interesting approach to increasing AI literacy among junior staff. “We’re trying to create change-agility and technology comfort in the juniors,” Gilberg explains. “It’s forcing us to stop making it about giving junior staff tasks.” The goal is to create a workforce that is not just proficient in using AI tools, but also capable of applying judgment, understanding risk factors, and providing meaningful oversight of AI-augmented work.

Because AI tools can now handle many routine tasks, junior staff are being trained to supervise and review AI outputs to help staffers grasp the broader principles and logic behind the work. “If they are going to supervise the AI, that’s not a task, they need to understand the backdrop against which they’re doing that,” Gilberg says, adding that this approach emphasizes developing critical thinking skills and the ability to spot errors or inconsistencies in AI-generated content.


“We’re trying to create change-agility and technology comfort in the juniors, and it’s forcing us to stop making it about giving junior staff tasks.”


Employing multiple approaches to achieve this — PwC Canada’s Generation Wave initiative provides AI-competency education at escalating levels, from use-case demonstrations to hands-on building exercises. The firm also hosts prompt-engineering parties, which are group learning sessions at which cross-functional teams collaborate to develop effective prompts for AI tools and apply them to common workflows. These interactive, experimental approaches allow employees to gain practical experience with AI in a supportive environment.

Developing an AI mindset for experienced professionals — For employees who have advanced beyond the junior stage, PwC prioritizes learning that fosters an AI mindset and teaches professionals how to use AI to master the firm’s go-to-market strategy for more effective client results. Additionally, the firm offers voluntary training modules and has integrated AI adoption into performance evaluations as a clear indication of the importance of embracing this technology across the organization, notes Gilberg.

Navigating client concerns and regulatory compliance

Of course, there have been challenges along the way. One complexity with which the firm is dealing in real time, for example, is addressing the wide variety of client preferences around using AI. “We’ve had clients say, ‘We’re not prepared to pay for junior staff… can’t you do this with GenAI?’,” Gilberg says, adding that while this can be done, there is still a requirement for human oversight to ensure the output is high quality. “And then, there have been others that are saying, ‘No, there will be no use of AI.’”

One fundamental and consistent principle in addressing client concerns about AI usage is stating how the firm itself is using advanced technology, through engagement letters to ensure transparency of how GenAI is utilized in projects. In addition, PwC finds itself doing a lot of proactive education with clients about AI technologies to help them better understand the benefits and limitations, she says, noting that this education-based approach both alleviates client concerns and fosters trust by demonstrating the firm’s commitment to transparency and ethical AI use.

Yet even before going out to clients and rolling out AI technologies across the enterprise, Gilberg explains the firm gathered its global risk and compliance teams to oversee AI implementations to ensure that all these applications adhere to the necessary legal and security frameworks. This ongoing process involves selecting appropriate AI models that meet the firm’s security requirements and ensuring consistent application across different regions and services.

By embracing a two-pronged approach of empowering individual experimentation while establishing structured implementation guidelines, companies should follow the example of PwC Canada to unlock the full potential of AI while mitigating risks. Indeed, this strategy paves the way for a future in which AI is seamlessly integrated into a workforce while enhancing its productivity and innovation.


You can read more about advanced AI employee training here.

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