Latest news with #KPMGInternational
Mint
21-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Marketing's missing heart: Are brands losing the plot in the age of AI?
Late last year, a 'leaked" HR email from wellness platform Yes Madam showed the company firing two employees for reporting high stress. The mail was a marketing stunt to promote stress relief services, but the backlash was instant and brutal—It was criticized as tone-deaf and insensitive for trivializing job loss and mental health, dealing a reputational blow to the company. This wasn't an isolated incident. Increasingly, Indian advertising is stumbling through an identity crisis—hyper-targeted and AI-optimized on the surface, emotionally hollow at the core. From ads served next to tragic news stories to brands defaulting to generic performance content, the industry seems stuck in a loop: efficient, but forgettable. 'Retail is moving towards intelligent, not just personalized. That includes empathy, not just efficiency," said Isabelle Allen, global head of consumer and retail at KPMG International. 'Consumers today expect brands not only to understand their habits but to reflect their values." And yet, in a rush to optimize everything, emotional intelligence, the very thing that creates memorable brands, is becoming endangered. Sandeep Walunj, group chief marketing officer at Motilal Oswal, argues that financial marketing is one of the worst offenders. 'We're not just speaking to portfolios. We're speaking to fear, ambition, even guilt. But BFSI marketing has long buried that truth under numbers and charts. It needs to be more human." Even consumer brands that once built emotional moats are under pressure. 'The CMO's role today is no longer just creative. It's a business mandate," said Nikhil Rao, CMO of Mars Wrigley India. 'You're expected to understand every lever—sales, trade, R&D. That's important, but we also need to remember what builds long-term love for a brand." Rao's team is trying to balance that tension: 'Even our ₹1 Boomer gum carries our brand story. We don't chase scale at the cost of quality or trust." But many marketers aren't walking that line well. Asparsh Sinha, managing partner at an independent brand design and transformation consultancy Open Strategy & Design, puts it bluntly: 'When everything becomes a performance dashboard, brands risk becoming utilities instead of cultural actors. Data must be interpreted, not just applied." Sinha believes the anxiety is visible in client briefs. 'They're not more functional, they're just more nervous. Nervous about justifying spend. About defending quarterly outcomes. That fear pushes brands to play it safe—and safe is forgettable." Vishesh Sahni, chief executive officer of White, a brand experience company, says cultural fluency is the new metric. 'We worked on H&M's 'Sound of Style' activation at Lollapalooza India 2025. It wasn't built for virality, it was built for resonance. Gen Z doesn't reward attention-seeking, they reward authenticity." He adds that building emotional equity is still non-negotiable for serious brands. 'Some of our most memorable briefs are the ones focused on building brand words, co-creating culture with audiences, and forging a sense of trust and intimacy. The challenge is meeting emotional resonance with rapid results and this is where data helps sharpen the storytelling." Saheb Singh, strategy director at independent advertising firm Agency09, warns that performance marketing is making all brand voices sound the same. 'Optimizing for clicks has come at the cost of emotional nuance. The soul is being traded for speed." He adds, 'We treat even a six-second short as a brand moment. Short-form doesn't have to be short-lived. But it can't be soulless." Singh also believes that younger marketers sometimes over-index on tools rather than people. 'Great marketing begins with empathy. Tools are powerful, but empathy is irreplaceable." A Deloitte whitepaper on the evolving CMO mindset highlights that brands are under pressure to deliver immediate value, but long-term relevance comes from human-centric design. 'More than 80% of leading CMOs are embedding emotional, cultural and societal relevance into brand decisions," the report notes. 'Human-centricity isn't just a talking point—it's a measurable growth driver." The paper also warns against 'signal overload", where an over-reliance on data leads to chasing micro-metrics rather than macro impact. As one section notes, 'True brand leadership in the AI age will come from using automation to inform action, not dictate it." But as automation deepens, so does the risk of 'context collapse", a term used to describe ads appearing next to inappropriate content, or messaging that completely misreads the cultural moment. Programmatic ads placed next to videos about war, terror, or tragedy are a grim example. 'The machine didn't know better," one agency executive admitted. This is where the consequences become cultural. For Gen Z and younger millennials, tone-deafness isn't just cringe, but a dealbreaker. 'Empathy is a superpower," said one strategist. 'And right now, most brand playbooks feel like they've forgotten how to use it." Some brands are trying to evolve. They're building diverse creative review teams. They're testing tone frameworks and running sentiment analysis pre-launch. But there's no AI tool for common sense. Or timing. Or taste. Equally concerning is the blurring line between transactional experiences and emotional cues. QR codes, shoppable videos and personalized coupon drops have their place, but when the creative layer vanishes, what's left is commerce without character. And that rarely builds long-term memory. AI can tell you who to talk to, when to talk to them and where to reach them. But it can't tell you how to make them care. That still takes emotional intelligence and a little bit of soul. In the age of full-funnel metrics, maybe it's time to ask: What's the one thing your brand will be remembered for: its CPM, or how it made someone feel? Because at the end of the day, reach without resonance is noise. And in advertising, noise doesn't convert. Emotion does.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
97% of Life Sciences Firms Report AI-Driven Operational Gains: KPMG
New Delhi: KPMG International has released a new report titled Intelligent Life Sciences: A Blueprint for Creating Value Through AI-Driven Transformation, based on insights from 183 senior life sciences leaders. The report highlights that while the sector is ahead in adopting artificial intelligence, achieving high returns on investment remains a key challenge. According to the study, 97 per cent of life sciences organizations have reported operational improvements from AI adoption, and 86% believe companies that embrace AI will gain a competitive advantage. Additionally, 89 per cent of respondents are comfortable with AI making end-to-end autonomous decisions for specific processes. 23 per cent report high or very high returns on AI investment, while 32 per cent expect ROI to remain flat in the coming years. Data-related challenges continue to be a major barrier, with 68 per cent citing issues such as data silos, inconsistent formats, and concerns around quality, security, and privacy. According to the report, leading life sciences organizations are progressing through three distinct phases of AI maturity—Enable, Embed, and Evolve, each improving efficiency, innovation, and strategic impact. It emphasizes the importance of aligning AI strategies with measurable outcomes and embedding trust and agility into transformation efforts. The findings are part of a broader research series involving nearly 1,400 industry leaders globally, across eight key sectors. Vijay Chawla, Partner and Head, Life Sciences, KPMG in India, comments, 'AI is transforming life sciences from isolated innovation to enterprise-wide impact. Organizations that blend agile structures with robust data strategies are twice as likely to see high ROI. The future belongs to those who embed AI not just in technology—but in culture, operations, and trust'.
Daily Tribune
01-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
KPMG launches KPMG Workbench
KPMG International yesterday launched KPMG Workbench – KPMG's foundational and single AI platform designed to scale global adoption and integration of AI, while enhancing trust and control over AI across all geographies and teams. It is part of the global organization's multi-billion dollar investment in AI and agentic transformation and is the foundation that will underpin KPMG firms' client delivery platforms, KPMG Digital Gateway (Tax), KPMG Velocity (Advisory) and our smart audit platform, KPMG Clara. 'With KPMG Workbench, we're combining advanced AI agents with the insight, judgment and deep expertise of our people to deliver smarter solutions for clients, faster and with full confidence in their security and compliance.' – David Rowlands, Global Head of AI, KPMG International A shared vision KPMG leveraged the Microsoft Azure platform, including AI capabilities in Azure AI Foundry, as the foundation for KPMG Workbench. This investment marks the evolution of Workbench from a proven platform for KPMG's developers to the firm's central hub for delivering and managing AI, using advanced agent interoperability technology to connect intelligent tools and support throughout various stages of the client journey. With generative and agentic AI, KPMG Workbench's ability to scale and specialize helps makes it transformative. By coordinating multiple task-specific agents to collaborate and share context, KPMG Workbench enables team members to automate complex, multi-step processes from client onboarding to regulatory reporting. These agents are modular, reusable, and continuously evolving, making it easier to adapt to changing business needs. ' In Bahrain, KPMG has established an AI Lab that is working with key clients in the market on some cutting edge use cases. We are significantly investing in Bahraini talent to drive the AI agenda forward for our clients' – Jamal Fakhro, Managing Partner, KPMG in Bahrain Clients onboarded Private instances of KPMG Workbench will be available to clients from across industries to help develop and manage their digital workforce of the future.'Our AI Lab is imple menting AI solutions that are already driving tangible value for our clients in the Kingdom. With KPMG Workbench, these homegrown capabilities will be significantly amplified, allowing us to accelerate the delivery of advanced, secure, and locally relevant AI-driven services, truly complementing the human intelligence and deep industry knowledge of our professionals.' – Manav Prakash, Partner, Advisory, KPMG in Bahrain.
Al Bawaba
30-06-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
KPMG launches KPMG Workbench: a multi-agent AI platform, transforming client delivery and ways of working across the global organization
KPMG International today launched KPMG Workbench – KPMG's foundational and single AI platform designed to scale global adoption and integration of AI, while enhancing trust and control over AI across all geographies and teams. It is part of the global organization's multi-billion dollar investment in AI and agentic transformation and is the foundation that will underpin KPMG firms' client delivery platforms, KPMG Digital Gateway (Tax), KPMG Velocity (Advisory) and our smart audit platform, KPMG is the latest of several AI announcements from KPMG following recent investments with Microsoft and other alliance partners to help create value, faster by bringing innovative digital solutions, efficiency gains and advanced technology in practical ways to KPMG Workbench has a network of 50 AI assistants (agents) and chatbots that interact with each other across multiple sectors, with nearly a thousand AI assistants in development to meet diverse client needs. These agents, built to work with a range of large language models (LLMs), work as digital teammates alongside KPMG professionals to help provide quicker, quality, trusted solutions for clients. • KPMG Workbench is a flexible platform built on Microsoft Azure AI Foundry Services that allows for interoperable, agent to agent communications. In addition, it brings together capabilities from across the KPMG ecosystem of alliance partners, such as Oracle, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday and more, so clients accessing it can choose the model or AI agent that fits their task. • KPMG Workbench will help enable the next generation of KPMG's AI-enabled client service delivery, including innovative and content rich 'Services as Software' (SaS) that aims to provide KPMG clients with AI tools steeped in our people's deep industry expertise and experience. • KPMG Workbench has built-in data sovereignty, meaning clients can maintain full control of how their data is stored and processed and manage diverse risk and governance needs, helping them to meet local and global regulatory requirements.• KPMG is the first organization in the world to achieve BSI/ISO 42001* certification for AI Management Systems and every agent and tool on KPMG Workbench is accredited with a KPMG 'Trusted AI stamp'– ensuring every tool and agent has been assessed against our 10 pillar Trusted AI Framework.'Clients tell us that their ability to orchestrate and control their agents in a secure way is becoming their number one concern. They also want a multi-model platform rather than being locked into one provider. Recognizing this, and KPMG's own needs as a complex global business, the strategy was to build a foundational AI platform that has sovereign data capabilities and enables our people to integrate AI models into one environment that is embedded in our Trusted AI Framework. With KPMG Workbench, we're combining advanced AI agents with the insight, judgment and deep expertise of our people to deliver smarter solutions for clients, faster and with full confidence in their security and compliance.' – David Rowlands, Global Head of AI, KPMG International.A shared vision for transforming how KPMG professionals workKPMG leveraged the Microsoft Azure platform, including AI capabilities in Azure AI Foundry, as the foundation for KPMG Workbench. This investment marks the evolution of Workbench from a proven platform for KPMG's developers to the firm's central hub for delivering and managing AI, using advanced agent interoperability technology to connect intelligent tools and support throughout various stages of the client generative and agentic AI, KPMG Workbench's ability to scale and specialize helps makes it transformative. By coordinating multiple task-specific agents to collaborate and share context, KPMG Workbench enables team members to automate complex, multi-step processes from client onboarding to regulatory reporting. These agents are modular, reusable, and continuously evolving, making it easier to adapt to changing business needs."KPMG Workbench's launch marks a pivotal moment for KPMG. This multi-billion dollar investment in AI underscores our global commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology for the benefit of our clients. It will fundamentally transform how we deliver value, enabling our teams to offer even more innovative, efficient, and trusted solutions. This is about empowering our professionals and, in turn, empowering our clients to navigate the complexities of today's business landscape with confidence and agility. In Bahrain, KPMG has established an AI Lab that is working with key clients in the market on some cutting edge use cases. We are significantly investing in Bahraini talent to drive the AI agenda forward for our clients" – Jamal Fakhro, Managing Partner, KPMG in onboarded to KPMG WorkbenchPrivate instances of KPMG Workbench will be available to clients from across industries to help develop and manage their digital workforce of the future. 'Over the past 15 months, we have been diligently building a robust technology backbone and a highly skilled AI team here in Bahrain, anticipating the transformative power of platforms like KPMG Workbench. I'm incredibly excited with the cutting edge work our AI teams are doing for our key clients in Bahrain leveraging KPMG's global investments in AI and also adopting these to the Bahrain context. Our AI Lab is implementing AI solutions that are already driving tangible value for our clients in the Kingdom. With KPMG Workbench, these homegrown capabilities will be significantly amplified, allowing us to accelerate the delivery of advanced, secure, and locally relevant AI-driven services, truly complementing the human intelligence and deep industry knowledge of our professionals." – Manav Prakash, Partner, Advisory, KPMG in Bahrain
Fibre2Fashion
27-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Global growth to drop to 2.7% in 2025: KPMG
The gross domestic product (GDP) internationally is poised to slow from 3.2 per cent in 2024 to 2.7 per cent in 2025 before regaining some ground to 2.8 per cent in 2026, according to the latest KPMG Global Economic Outlook. The global GDP growth is expected to slow to rates not seen since the global financial crisis of 2008-9 as geopolitical and economic uncertainty become core themes for CEOs. Meanwhile global inflation is expected to cool from 4.5 per cent in 2024 to 3.6 per cent in 2025 and hit 3.1 per cent in 2026. The latest forecasts were outlined in KPMG International's first ever Global Economic Outlook webinar, which was attended by almost 2,000 executives across the world. The broadcast was designed to analyse and break down some of the challenges and opportunities ahead in such a complex period of time for the business community. KPMG forecasts global GDP to slow to 2.7 per cent in 2025 amid rising geopolitical, policy shifts, and economic uncertainty. Business leaders cite volatility, tariffs, and trade disruptions as key concerns. KPMG urges companies to treat geopolitical risk as a strategic asset and stay agile in a shifting, multipolar and uncertain global landscape. Current market and trading volatility was reflected in Live polling which was conducted during the global broadcast. Attendees were asked what their top concern was right now for their organisation, with more than a third (34 per cent) saying macroeconomic volatility was the biggest threat, while 30 per cent described geopolitical instability as their top concern. Meanwhile, nearly half (47 per cent) said their company's growth prospects had worsened since January. Furthermore, when asked about their organisation's strategic response to tariffs, only 40 per cent said they have no significant changes planned regarding their strategy for responding to tariffs and global trade dynamics. 'In today's business landscape, KPMG's latest global economic forecasts are unlikely to catch any business leaders by surprise. Throughout my experience engaging with CEOs, I've observed that uncertainty consistently ranks as their foremost concern. Currently, executives are adopting a 'pause and prepare' strategy, delaying significant investment decisions as they brace for potential economic downturns that may hinder growth aspirations. Despite today's challenges, it is crucial for business leaders to shift their focus toward identifying opportunities and viewing geopolitical risks as strategic assets rather than obstacles. This is an opportune moment to harness these insights to navigate the intricate global economic terrain. CEOs must remain informed, agile, and ready to adapt to swiftly evolving circumstances,' Regina Mayor, global head of clients & markets, KPMG International , said. KPMG's Global Geopolitics team describes the current international scenario as a 'Critical Recession' – a transitional phase moving from a US-dominated era of globalisation toward a more multipolar world. This shift sees emerging powers, including India, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, and economies in Southeast Asia, asserting their influence, leading to a more contested geopolitical environment. 'We now face potentially more global conflict than at any time since 1946. This historic surge in turmoil adversely affects supply chains and operations, particularly near critical trade nodes such as the Bab-El-Mandeb Strait/Suez Canal, the South China Sea, and the Panama Canal. These areas, essential for global trade, are increasingly vulnerable to disruptions owing to regional conflicts and overlapping sovereignty claims. The fragmentation of global trade, increased conflict and ongoing uncertainty over tariffs in the US is forcing business leaders to pause and adopt a 'wait and see' approach. Volatility is the new normal and companies should treat geopolitical risk as an asset, rather than a new threat. The imperative for businesses now is to develop a clear vision of how these geopolitical trends will affect their strategic objectives not only in the immediate term but over the coming years. With a deeper understanding of these geopolitical dynamics and proactive engagement in risk management, businesses can navigate the turbulent environment more adeptly, turning uncertainties into opportunities,' said Stefano Moritsch, head of global geopolitics, KPMG International . Rampant policy shifts and escalating trade tensions are driving a predictable economic slowdown across the Americas. Pervasive uncertainty functions as an economic tax, stalling business investments and decision-making as executives across both North and South America grapple with a deeply unpredictable policy environment. 'Tariffs are predicted to rise significantly, scaling from a rate of 2.8 per cent to over 20 per cent by year-end. The uncertainty drove an unprecedented surge in the US trade deficit, almost doubling previous records due to stockpiling ahead of tariffs. It points to the frantic efforts of businesses to mitigate the immediate impact of tariffs,' said Diane Swonk, Americas chief economist, KPMG International. Europe faces a modest growth outlook in the short term, as uncertainty weighs on business investment and consumer confidence, with Eurozone GDP expected to increase by around 0.9 per cent in 2025 and 1.1 per cent in 2026. 'Europe remains vulnerable to an escalation of tariffs, particularly on pharmaceuticals, which make up a large share of exports for a number of European economies. This continuing uncertainty is creating a degree of cautiousness in business planning and investments. The pivot to defence may offer an opportunity to provide greater focus on European research and development. This in turn could mean positive spillover opportunities for dual-use technologies, as well as research-intensive defence subsectors such as aerospace, cybersecurity, advanced robotics, and autonomous drones,' said Yael Selfin, European chief economist, KPMG International. 'The new US administration's trade policy changes are going to have some serious consequences for ASPAC economies. These repercussions are particularly severe due to the region's intertwined trade networks. Economies throughout the region may strategically pivot in response to these changes, whether through diversifying trade partnerships, investing in technology to enhance production efficiency, or bolstering domestic markets to mitigate impacts,' Dr Brendan Rynne, Asia-Pacific chief economist, KPMG International. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)
