Consulting firm fines a partner for using AI to cheat on a test about AI
According to a recent report, a partner at the Australian branch of the consulting giant KPMG has been fined 10,000 Australian dollars (about $7,000) after being caught using AI tools to cheat on an internal training course focused on AI usage.
The company had the unnamed partner retake the assessment after he cheated the first time by uploading course materials to an AI platform to help him answer questions about the rapidly evolving technology, the Financial Times reported.
This case is apparently far from being unique, as this type of cheating is becoming widespread in the professional services business. More than two dozen KPMG employees have been identified this financial year for improper use of AI tools in internal examinations; other firms have similar issues.
The case highlights ongoing challenges within professional services firms as they confront instances of staff relying on AI to gain unfair advantages in exams or in preparing client work.
Months earlier, multiple scandals involving government-contracted reports revealed that major consulting firms used AI to generate most of the content, including fabricated sources and inaccurate figures. These scandals cost these companies millions in fines and great damage to credibility.
Consulting firms were among the earliest adopters of genAI tools, using them to accelerate report creation. Yet, misuse is rampant: many partners choose the path of least resistance, letting AI generate reports without double-checking, risking inaccuracies or outright errors. The consulting industry is undergoing a transformative period, with greater skepticism about the value they deliver, especially in government contracting, which was once a major source of revenue.
