Key facts
- KPMG retracted its global report "Redefining Excellence in the Age of Agentic AI" due to false claims.
- Major organizations including UBS and the NHS denied being featured in the report or using AI as described.
- The report contained fabricated case studies and AI-generated inaccuracies.
- The blunders were initially flagged by GPTZero and later verified by the Financial Times.
- KPMG has launched an internal investigation into the matter.
KPMG has been forced to retract a global report, "Redefining Excellence in the Age of Agentic AI," after numerous high-profile organizations denied the report's claims of using AI for operational transformations. The report, which included fabricated case studies and AI-generated inaccuracies, was flagged by GPTZero and the Financial Times.
Organizations such as UBS, the UK's National Health Service (NHS), Swiss Federal Railways, and Transport for London (TfL) have all stated that the claims made about their AI usage were factually incorrect, not accurate, misleading, or did not align with reality.
This incident follows a similar situation where rival consulting firm EY withdrew a study due to AI-generated errors. Edward Tian, CEO of GPTZero, warned that such mistakes from trusted firms can spread misinformation widely. KPMG International has removed the report and initiated an internal investigation, emphasizing its commitment to the accuracy and integrity of its publications and stating that employees may have breached internal AI-use policies regarding human oversight and validation of content.