How Grant Thornton is building an AI‑powered professional services firm
Across professional services, artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how work is performed, how services are delivered, and how firms think about long‑term differentiation.
For leaders in audit, tax, and advisory services, expectations are evolving. Clients are looking for greater efficiency, more consistent insight, and deeper expertise—while continuing to expect strong governance, security, and professional judgment. Meeting those expectations requires more than experimentation. It requires intentional change.
At Grant Thornton, that change is already underway.
During Microsoft’s AI Tour in New York, Mike Kempe, Chief Information Officer at Grant Thornton, shared how the firm is approaching AI as part of a broader effort to evolve its operating model—embedding intelligence into day‑to‑day work while maintaining the trust and accountability required in professional services.
Moving beyond pilots toward an AI‑enabled operating model
For Grant Thornton, the discussion around AI began with a focus on readiness and relevance.
“We see AI as changing our industry,” Kempe explains. “Our focus has been on understanding how it can support the work our people do every day.”
Rather than treating AI as a standalone initiative, the firm has taken steps to introduce AI capabilities across its service lines and internal functions. The emphasis has been on practical application—identifying where AI can enhance efficiency, improve consistency, and support better decision-making—while reinforcing the importance of human expertise and oversight.
Applying AI internally before extending it to clients
A defining element of Grant Thornton’s approach is how closely internal use informs client delivery.
New AI capabilities are first introduced internally, allowing teams to understand their impact, limitations, and adoption considerations. Those learnings are then used to shape how similar approaches may be applied in client‑facing services.
“Everything we’re doing internally helps inform the work we do with clients,” Kempe notes.
This approach allows Grant Thornton to ground its client conversations in experience—sharing what has worked, what required adjustment, and what governance considerations emerged along the way.
Embedding AI into everyday workflows
As adoption has progressed, Grant Thornton has taken a practical approach to applying AI within existing workflows, strengthening current processes through targeted enhancements. By using AI capabilities within familiar tools and environments, teams are able to incorporate AI into their work with less disruption. In parallel, the firm has explored the use of custom AI agents to support specific processes, such as research, proposal development, and internal controls testing.
“These tools help reduce manual effort and improve consistency,” Kempe explains, “so our professionals can focus more of their time on higher‑value work.”
The firm continues to evaluate and expand these use cases over time, guided by feedback from practitioners and evolving business needs.
Taken together, these shifts reflect a broader change underway in professional services—where AI is becoming part of the operating fabric, not a separate initiative.
Balancing innovation with governance and responsibility
In a regulated industry, adopting AI requires careful consideration of security, data protection, and responsible use.
Grant Thornton has taken steps to align AI adoption with existing governance frameworks, including risk management processes and data safeguards. This helps ensure that new capabilities are introduced thoughtfully and in a way that supports long‑term trust.
“We want to move forward thoughtfully,” Kempe says, “making sure we have the right guardrails in place as we adopt new capabilities.”
Supporting people through change
Despite the technology involved, Kempe emphasizes that AI adoption is fundamentally a people‑focused effort.
Grant Thornton invested in onboarding, enablement, and change management to help teams understand how AI fits into their roles and how it can support—not replace—their work.
“This is about helping our people be successful,” Kempe explains. “AI works best when it complements human judgment and experience.”
As AI takes on more routine or time‑consuming tasks, skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and professional judgment remain central to delivering quality outcomes for clients.
Looking ahead: evolving the professional services model
Over time, Grant Thornton sees AI influencing not only how work is performed, but how services are structured and delivered.
AI creates opportunities to rethink aspects of service delivery, improve repeatability, and explore new ways of supporting clients—while continuing to rely on professional expertise and oversight.
“We’re continuing to evaluate how AI can support new ways of working,” Kempe says, “and how that may shape the future of professional services.”
A familiar foundation for AI adoption
Grant Thornton’s existing technology environment played an important role in how AI was introduced.
Because collaboration, data, and security workflows were already established within Microsoft platforms, AI adoption could build on a familiar foundation rather than introducing parallel systems.
“That existing foundation made it easier to explore AI in a way that felt connected to how our teams already work,” Kempe explains.
From exploration to execution
Grant Thornton’s experience reflects a broader shift underway across professional services. As AI capabilities mature, firms are moving beyond experimentation toward more deliberate, execution‑focused models that embed intelligence directly into daily work.
By aligning AI adoption with governance, integrating it into existing workflows, and keeping people at the center of change, Grant Thornton offers a practical example of how organizations can translate AI ambition into operational progress—without compromising trust or professional judgment.
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This thought leadership piece is part of Microsoft in Business coverage from AI Tour New York, highlighting how leaders are translating AI strategy into real‑world execution at scale. Explore more conversations:
