PwC’s $1 Billion AI Investment: “Prompting Parties” Boost Employee Skills
Staff Editor PwC Hosts “Prompting Parties” to Boost Employee AI Skills
Global professional services firm PwC is taking an innovative approach to enhance its workforce’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities through “prompting parties.” These collaborative sessions are part of the company’s $1 billion investment over three years to bolster its AI proficiency.
Leah Houde, PwC’s chief learning officer, emphasized the importance of creating a safe, low-stakes environment for employees to experiment with AI tools. “Generative AI is rapidly transforming workplaces, but many employees are still uncertain about how to effectively utilize these technologies,” Houde stated.
The initiative comes as part of PwC’s broader My AI upskilling program, designed to train employees on responsible AI usage. Despite initial training efforts, a significant skill gap in practical AI applications persists among staff members.
The rising interest in AI within PwC is evident, with the topic becoming one of the top five searched terms on the company’s internal learning platform in 2024, marking a substantial increase from previous years.
Prompting parties provide a collaborative setting for AI experimentation, focusing on real-world use cases. These sessions can be conducted by teams or led by company AI experts, allowing employees to tackle specific problems using AI tools.
The group setting of these parties enables employees to learn from each other’s AI prompts and encourages independent experimentation outside of the sessions. Since March, nearly 500 prompting parties have been held, with high demand for more.
For a professional services firm like PwC, familiarity with AI is crucial as clients increasingly seek AI-related guidance. Workforce experts stress the necessity of employer investment in AI training to maintain competitiveness in the evolving business landscape.
While AI training is a priority, PwC employees also express interest in other areas such as “inclusion” and “inclusive mindset.” The company recognizes that human interaction remains a key component of professional development.
Looking ahead, AI has the potential to revolutionize learning and development by creating personalized learning plans based on individual skills and career goals. This technology could recommend relevant training, enhancing skill development and career progression for employees.
PwC’s prompting parties represent a strategic initiative to bridge the AI skill gap and enhance employee proficiency in AI tools. This approach aligns with broader trends in workforce development and underscores the increasing importance of AI in professional services.
