PwC's US chief executive Paul Griggs has made clear there is no room at the corporation for AI sceptics. Speaking to the Financial Times, Griggs indicated that anyone who believed they had the "opportunity to opt out" of AI is "not going to be here that long," and warned senior staff not "paranoid about being AI-first" will be replaced by others who are more comfortable with the tech.
This ultimatum stands in striking contrast to the firm's own research. Research undertaken by PwC, published in January, indicated more than half of businesses using AI saw little or no benefit. The survey examined 4,454 business leaders across 95 countries and found neither increased revenue nor decreased costs from deploying AI tools.
The contradiction reveals a wider tension in corporate America. Large professional services firms have invested heavily in AI infrastructure and need to justify those expenditures to shareholders. PwC is also reportedly rethinking its billing model, potentially shifting from hourly rates to subscription-style access to AI-driven tax and consulting services. The business model transformation means existing staff represent both a cost and a potential impediment to change.
Griggs acknowledged that hiring patterns have already changed; PwC is recruiting fewer traditional accountants and consultants, proportionally, in favour of engineers and data specialists. This signals a fundamental reshaping of what the firm values in its workforce.
PwC is not alone in this approach. Accenture told associate directors and senior managers that "regular adoption" of AI would be required to progress to leadership positions. The company began monitoring the weekly AI tools log-ins of some of its senior workers; only those who boast "regular adoption" of the tech will be considered for leadership positions.
Yet the business case remains weak. Recent research from Deloitte found that 74 percent of organisations wanted their AI initiatives to grow revenue, but only one in five had seen results. A February report indicated that few businesses have achieved return on AI spending due to lack of investment in staff training, combined with a shortfall in governance and oversight.
The gap between ambition and execution is significant. Gartner research from March suggests that buying AI tools alone will not change how employees work. HR leaders should focus on communication and sensitivity to employee needs, the research concluded, rather than rushing to implement business transformation plans that could face resistance.
What is emerging is a pattern of pressure without preparation. Companies are mandating AI adoption and linking careers to tool usage, while simultaneously acknowledging gaps in training, governance and measurable returns. Reasonable people can question whether this approach will produce the productivity gains these firms are betting their business models on.