Tech vs talent | Big Four cutting graduate jobs cut in favour of AI is 'a misstep', expert warns

Hundreds of graduate jobs have been slashed at the UK’s biggest accountancy firms as the Big Four turn to artificial intelligence to handle routine junior tasks.

KPMG has made the biggest cut, reducing its 2023 graduate intake by 29%, from 1,399 to just 942 roles. Deloitte’s graduate scheme shrank by 18%, while EY and PwC made smaller but still significant cuts of 11% and 6% respectively.

The reductions mark a sharp shift in the traditional career pathway for university leavers and school leavers alike. While the Big Four have long offered one of the largest entry-level routes into white-collar work, that model is rapidly changing as firms restructure to reduce costs and capitalise on AI’s potential to automate repetitive work once done by junior staff.

Read more from us

'Normalising cuts' | AI will shrink Amazon's corporate workforce, CEO Jassy declares

At the same time, all four firms are expanding offshoring to lower-cost hubs in India, Malaysia and the Philippines, a move that further shrinks the need for entry-level UK-based talent. Graduate job adverts across the accountancy sector are down 44% year on year, according to labour market data.