Company lifePwC Belgium is always seeking ways to adopt and use AI, asking and addressing questions that are on our minds: How can AI drive business growth and streamline operations? What are the risks and ethical implications, and how can they be managed? Sandy Aers, COO and Partner at PwC Belgium Internal Firm Services, sheds light on the different ways PwC Belgium is using AI to benefit the firm. As we step into the age of generative artificial intelligence or GenAI, businesses start to pay attention to the GenAI effect on their organisational operations and their workforce. At our firm, we’ve already begun our journey with this transformative technology many years ago, actively implementing AI solutions and a governance framework to optimise the way we work. With the advent of generative AI, this sped up the pace as it really allowed people who are not programmers or developers to access this technology easily through use of natural language instead of computer jargon. Say hello to ChatPwC and more There is no avoiding what lies ahead. To stay competitive, we must take on the challenge of mastering AI, treating it as an ally instead of adopting a wait-and-see approach. GenAI is no longer a nice-to-have but a must. We’ve put a framework in place that prioritises responsible practices and we’re constantly assessing and adjusting our process. A notable development is the rollout of our own GenAI function – ChatPwC, a chat platform powered by GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) technology. Launched in December 2023, this platform allows us to harness its data processing powers within a private and secure environment, maintaining the highest level of confidentiality for our internal and client data. AI complements our human capabilities As an AI-powered assistant, it relieves our people of repetitive and tedious tasks, thus allowing them to focus on what they are truly good at and passionate about, be creative and find new ways to improve how things are done. We see AI as a valuable resource that enhances productivity and adds immense value when used correctly. Always tech-powered, human-led – be it streamlining our operations or assisting clients with their implementation, we want to make sure that no one gets left behind; that AI works for and not separately to complement our human capabilities so that we can achieve even better outcomes. Streamlining business operations with AI While ChatPwC is a big step forward, it’s not the only AI application we use. It’s important that we view AI as an advanced technology that can integrate into various aspects of our professional environment, providing us with the much needed help from optimising operational efficiency to refining our work output, so as to deliver greater quality in a highly productive and trustworthy manner. We’ve also integrated bespoke AI capabilities into our day-to-day work environment like Google Docs, Slides, Sheets (Google Gemini), along with Microsoft Copilot. These are readily available and built into the tools users already use on a day to day basis, making it easier for our employees to work efficiently. And we don’t just rely on mainstream tools. We also match specialised solutions to specific business needs. For example, we utilise contract drafting tools like Henchman and Harvey for our Tax and Legal services, and the AI-powered digital sales assistant, Uman, to effectively target and reach out to new clients for our Consulting team. We also employ AI technology to automatically summarise meetings to help our Audit and Assurance teams review concise summaries and analyse key information easily and quickly. We’re continuously integrating GenAI capabilities into our current digital solutions and exploring new offerings driven by these advanced technologies. Culture of knowledge sharing and training To achieve this, we give regular training sessions, workshops and upskilling programmes that cater to all generations and job levels so that everyone in the firm possess at least the basic skills and know-how to leverage GenAI for their work. We also foster a culture of knowledge sharing through various communication channels and with the help of GenAI ambassadors from every business unit, so those who have expertise in certain domains can easily share their knowledge with others. In doing so, we make our firm attractive to new joiners and long-serving talents. We show that we’re innovative and digital-focused, an employer that nurtures jobs that encompass a progressive and future-ready scope. Client zero: empowering clients to step into the future What we learn, we impart. By embarking on an AI journey ourselves as client zero, we’re also gathering valuable feedback for iterative improvement and takeaways that we can pass on to our clients. More importantly, our strategy involves understanding the existing market landscape while examining successful practices from other PwC territories and providers, including startups. This allows us to build upon existing frameworks and avoid reinventing the wheel. In this way, we’re able to leverage our collective expertise and global experiences to offer tailored and targeted solutions. Responsible AI Trust is a key pillar for us at PwC and we hold ourselves accountable when it comes to responsible integration and implementation. People first - as we always say - which entails prioritising our people and keeping them at the forefront, leveraging AI to augment their competencies and not the other way around.
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