USA 
United KingdomAnthony Abbatiello
US Workforce Transformation Leader, PwC
PwC’s US Workforce Transformation Leader speaks exclusively to HR Grapevine about getting 75,000 staff used to working alongside AI agents...
Anthony Abbatiello
US Workforce Transformation Leader, PwC
PwC’s US Workforce Transformation Leader speaks exclusively to HR Grapevine about getting 75,000 staff used to working alongside AI agents...
In 2023 and 2024, most employers tentatively dipped a toe into the choppy waters of workplace AI adoption.
Excitement was largely outweighed by confusion, trepidation, and hesitancy. Even midway through last year, workplace technology firm Lattice had its hand bitten off by HR professionals after announcing a feature that allowed employers to give AI agents official employee records.
But if we know anything about the modern world of work, it’s how fast things can change. Already in 2025, we have seen many business executives calling for a deeper plunge into the depths of 'agentic AI', where employees work hand-in-hand with AI assistants.
Among those to take that leap is professional services behemoth PwC. Anthony Abbatiello, US Workforce Transformation Leader at PwC, joins HR Grapevine for an exclusive insight into the firm’s “phased approach” to rolling out agentic AI for 75,000 US-based employees.
Can you outline PwC’s current approach to agentic AI adoption?
At PwC, we are taking a phased approach to AI agent adoption. Currently, we are piloting AI agents within specific use cases to test real-world applications, refine their impact, and make sure they enhance how our people work. These pilots focus on high-value use cases, where AI agents act as true collaborators rather than just automation tools, helping employees work smarter and make faster, more informed decisions. By testing real-world applications now, we are refining their impact before broader deployment across the firm.
What AI agents have proved most impactful?
Our ‘AI-driven Code Intelligence’ agent automates code documentation, test generation, and modernization, ensuring structured, up-to-date documentation while breaking down legacy code for seamless upgrades. And a ‘Software Development Lifecycle Canvas’ tool streamlines the software development lifecycle by rapidly converting ideas into user stories and automating test case generation, cutting time by 70%.
In our Assurance practice, agentic AI helps our auditors find guidance to their specific audit scenarios within the firm's knowledge repositories
In our Assurance practice, agentic AI helps our auditors find guidance to their specific audit scenarios within the firm's knowledge repositories. We're also integrating GenAI and agents into our change adoption tool, 'Change Navigator,' to enhance change impact assessments and stakeholder management for large technology and transformation programs.
Hesitancy from employers about agentic AI adoption appears to have slowed – why do you think that is?
The concerns we saw in 2024 around AI agent adoption are starting to fade because organizations are shifting their focus from automation to augmentation. AI agents are viewed less as a threat to jobs and more as powerful enablers that help employees work more efficiently, think more strategically, and drive innovation.
Companies that have implemented AI responsibly - keeping human oversight at the helm - are already seeing real business benefits, including increased productivity, faster decision-making, and improved employee experiences. These success stories have helped change the narrative from one of fear to one of opportunity.
Another key factor is the investment organizations are making in AI literacy and reskilling initiatives. As businesses provide employees with the skills to work alongside AI, they are reducing concerns around displacement and fostering a workplace culture that embraces technological change.
What does it mean for an employer to be ‘AI-native’ without sacrificing employee interests?
To build an AI-native workforce, employers need to take a blank-sheet approach—rethinking roles, workflows, and decision-making structures from the ground up, fundamentally redesigning how work gets done.
That means integrating AI agents in a way that enhances human potential. Human oversight remains critical to ensure AI-driven decisions align with company values and business strategy. At the same time, organizations must invest in equipping employees with both technical AI competencies and essential soft skills like critical thinking, adaptability, and ethical reasoning.
One of the most important steps companies can take is identifying new career pathways in an AI-enhanced world. Employees need to see AI not as a replacement but as a tool that creates new opportunities. Transparency, training, and responsible AI governance will be key in ensuring employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive in this evolving landscape.
How are you helping train employees to adjust to this fundamental shift?
Through PwC’s training program, ‘My AI,’ we have already trained over 75,000 employees in responsible AI use, prompting techniques and leadership in the age of AI, embedding AI into how we work, learn, and innovate.
Recognizing that peer-led learning drives stronger adoption, we also launched the AI Champion Network in October 2024, a community with over 3,200 members that leads Prompting Parties, GenAI demos, and in-office events, helping employees apply AI in ways that feel accessible and practical. We’ve also introduced GenAI Skills Quests across our lines of service, which provide role-specific AI training based on workforce trends.
What impact has this had on employee usage and adoption of AI?
It has driven strong adoption and a noticeable shift in employee attitudes toward AI. Since launching GenAI tools firmwide in December 2023, adoption has grown 23% year-over-year, with over 79% of employees actively using AI tools in their daily work. Employees have engaged in more than 25 million AI-powered interactions, and 26% now use AI at least once per day. Those regularly leveraging GenAI tools report 20-30% efficiency gains, allowing them to focus more on strategic, high-value work.
Beyond increased usage, training and support have transformed how employees perceive and interact with AI. Instead of seeing AI as a mandated tool, employees view it as a collaborator and enabler.
We’ve also encouraged teams to build their own custom GPTs, helping employees explore GenAI’s capabilities and tailor AI to their needs—all within PwC’s Responsible AI framework.
This grassroots approach fosters higher engagement and long-term adoption, as more employees experiment, share insights, and integrate AI into their workflows.
You mentioned PwC’s Responsible AI framework – what protections have you established to address privacy and security concerns?
AI’s reliance on data raises privacy and security concerns. HR teams must work closely with legal and IT departments to establish strong data governance frameworks that comply with regulatory requirements while enabling AI innovation.
At PwC, governance frameworks and clear business rules provide structured guidance on responsible AI use, helping our people understand the risks and how to apply AI effectively in their work.
Our people increasingly recognize that AI is becoming a natural part of how we work. As AI becomes integral to all facets of business, trust is the key to adoption and success. Trust is earned through ‘Responsible AI,’ which is why we embed responsible practices at every stage—from upskilling to deployment.
Agentic AI will inherently render some jobs obsolete. How will PwC ensure those workers get the upskilling they need?
Although it is still early days, PwC’s Global CEO Survey indicates no widespread reduction in employment opportunities across the global economy. The findings uncovered that although some CEOs (13%) say they have reduced headcount in the last 12 months due to GenAI, a slightly higher percentage (17%) tell us that headcount has increased as a result of GenAI investments.
Companies increasing headcount due to GenAI investments are primarily in technology, AI development, data analytics, and consulting. These industries require specialized talent in machine learning, AI engineering, cybersecurity, and AI ethics.
Through PwC’s training program, ‘My AI,’ we have already trained over 75,000 employees in responsible AI use, prompting techniques and leadership in the age of AI, embedding AI into how we work, learn, and innovate
Additionally, sectors like financial services, healthcare, and professional services, which leverage AI for productivity gains rather than job replacement, are also expanding their workforce, reallocating employees to higher-value functions instead of eliminating jobs.
This is why we set out on a mission to upskill all 75,000 of our US-based employees, regardless of role, to become savvy and responsible users of GenAI technologies. Through our My AI program, we are merging our commitment to equipping our people with in-demand skills for the future with access to the most advanced technologies.
How is PwC addressing employee anxieties about agentic AI’s impact?
It’s about making sure they feel informed, supported, and comfortable using GenAI tools in their work. We’re taking a clear, structured, and transparent approach to communicating why AI matters, how it can enhance work, and how our people can engage with it confidently.
We use multiple channels to reach our people so we can proactively address concerns, provide guidance, and reinforce AI as an enabler and not an obstacle.
This includes firmwide leadership engagement through events like our Leaders in Action series, AI for Leaders webcasts, and weekly internal updates through newsletters to keep our people and partners informed about market trends, ongoing AI-related work at the firm, what’s next in training, and more.
The AI Champion also drives peer-led learning, making AI more approachable and giving our people a safe space and trusted advisors that they know they can go to for questions and advice on how to use the tools in their work.
Moreover, our My AI SharePoint site serves as a central hub for FAQs, training, and responsible AI guidelines, giving our people an easy way to access trusted information and find answers to their questions.
What is the biggest hurdle you foresee on the journey to widespread agentic AI adoption?
Despite the momentum around AI agents, organizations still face several barriers to widespread adoption. One of the biggest is cultural resistance. Employees often worry that AI will replace their jobs or disrupt the workplace. To address this, HR teams need to take an active role in change management, positioning AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor.
Employees often worry that AI will replace their jobs or disrupt the workplace. To address this, HR teams need to take an active role in change management, positioning AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor
When employees see how AI can make their work more meaningful - by handling repetitive tasks and freeing them up for higher-value work - they become more open to adoption.
Any final guidance for other firms and HR teams on this journey?
Address two other major barriers. Firstly, the lack of AI-ready talent. Many organizations simply don’t have employees who are trained to work effectively with AI. HR leaders need to develop an AI-centric talent strategy, which includes targeted hiring, robust training programs, and ongoing career development initiatives to ensure their workforce is prepared for AI-driven workflows.
Secondly, integration with existing systems is another challenge. AI agents need to seamlessly fit into business processes, requiring investment in infrastructure and collaboration between HR and IT teams. Ethical and compliance concerns also remain a priority. To build trust, organizations should establish AI ethics committees, implement rigorous validation processes, and ensure human oversight of AI-driven decisions.
As AI continues to evolve, so will PwC’s approach—shaped by employee feedback, AI policy changes, new tool capabilities, and emerging business needs.
