KPMG
Editor's pick #1Big Four network with an ISO 42001-certified AI management system and a large AI risk practice
What is KPMG?
KPMG was formed in 1987 through the merger of Peat Marwick International and Klynveld Main Goerdeler, and its member firms employ around 275,000 people. In December 2025 KPMG International announced ISO/IEC 42001 certification for its own AI management system, audited by Schellman; member firms in Australia, Spain, India, and the US had certified earlier. Its Trusted AI approach covers governance design, risk classification under the EU AI Act, controls testing, and assurance. For a CFO or chief risk officer who needs advice that an audit committee will accept, few firms have a larger bench. Auditor-independence rules can bar it from advising its own audit clients. Check that first.
KPMG works primarily with clients in Banking, Insurance, Public sector, Healthcare, Energy, Manufacturing sectors. Its primary differentiator is: Governance and assurance depth, backed by its own ISO/IEC 42001-certified AI management system.
KPMG tech stack and services
| Service area |
|---|
| AI Governance |
| EU AI Act Classification |
| AI Audit & Assurance |
| Readiness Assessment |
| TCO / ROI Modeling |
| Change Management |
| Implementation After Advice |
KPMG pricing
Short answer: KPMG prices its work as follows: engagement fees per scope; rates not published. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed; a discovery call is required.
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-scope assessment | Fixed fee; quoted per scope | One or a few use cases, checked before any build |
| Multi-use-case advisory | Quoted per scope | Several use cases, teams, or systems |
| Audit or certification | Fixed fee per system | An outside check on AI already built |
| Delivery team | Team rate; see pricing model above | Building what the advice recommends |
KPMG pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +Runs its own certified AI management system, so it advises from first-hand experience of ISO/IEC 42001 | -Auditor-independence rules may stop it advising its own audit clients |
| +Risk, audit, and regulatory specialists work in one network | -Fees and team sizes suit large organizations more than mid-size ones |
| +Can carry governance work across dozens of countries | -The same network sells implementation, so ask how advice and delivery are separated |
| +Assurance work is set up to satisfy audit committees and regulators |
KPMG vs alternatives
How KPMG compares to the other top AI Advisory firms.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensorway | COOs and CFOs wanting a vendor-neutral AI plan. | Two-interview method per use case, a written drop list, and a roadmap another vendor can implement | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| PwC | Multinationals mapping AI Act duties with other EU... | EU AI Act compliance planned alongside DORA, GDPR, and NIS2 in one program | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| appliedAI | German industrial firms seeking neutral AI guidance. | Advice from a German AI ecosystem with a non-profit institute focused on AI Act practice | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| Deloitte | Large regulated groups needing documented AI controls. | Regulatory and audit teams beside the AI advisers, with global reach | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Trilateral Research | Public bodies needing rights and ethics assessments. | Fundamental rights and ethics impact assessments from a research-led firm | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| EY | Enterprises building AI risk into existing controls. | AI risk work folded into existing technology risk and controls programs | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| DAIN Studios | Nordic and DACH firms wanting governance they own. | Governance and readiness work designed to be run by the client's own team | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Artefact | Large consumer brands across European markets. | Data governance and AI planning with engineers in the same firm | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Gartner | CIOs and CDOs choosing AI vendors. | Analyst advice on AI vendors and governance with no implementation work to sell | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| TÜV SÜD | Firms wanting an independent AI Act assessment. | Independent testing and certification of AI systems against EU AI Act requirements | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| BABL AI | Companies needing an independent third-party AI audit. | Criteria-based third-party AI audits, separate from any design or build work | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Sia Partners | Utilities and insurers wanting regulatory-minded advice. | Sector regulatory practices applied to AI governance, plus its own Heka.ai tools | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| BearingPoint | European banks pairing AI with regulatory reporting. | European consulting with regulatory technology products from the same group | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| PA Consulting | UK public bodies wanting advice plus delivery. | Advice from teams that also design and build, strong in UK government | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Zühlke | Swiss and European health and finance firms. | Partner-owned advisory and engineering for regulated health and finance work | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| ML6 | Benelux firms wanting advice from builders. | Use-case discovery from engineers who also handle EU AI Act requirements | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Eticas | Public bodies auditing deployed algorithms. | Independent algorithmic audits that measure bias and accuracy in real use | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Advai | UK financial firms testing AI before launch. | Technical robustness testing, chosen by the FCA as partner for its AI Live Testing pilot | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Futurice | Nordic firms redesigning services around AI. | AI strategy combined with service design and operating-model work | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Knowit | Nordic public authorities wanting a local partner. | Nordic public-sector reach with data governance and AI under one roof | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Saidot | Teams wanting AI inventory software with setup help. | Governance software for AI inventories and risk tracking, integrated with Azure AI | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| West Monroe | US COOs targeting operating-cost gains. | Operations and cost-led AI advice from a partly employee-owned firm | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Elder Research | US agencies wanting a data feasibility check. | Feasibility calls grounded in three decades of hands-on modeling | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Ekimetrics | CFOs who want AI tied to measured returns. | Return-on-investment measurement for marketing and sustainability AI | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Slalom | North American firms wanting local consultants. | Local-office consultants for AI governance and operating models | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Thoughtworks | CTOs judging build-or-buy on AI tooling. | Public Technology Radar and engineering-led build-or-buy advice | 3.8 | Full comparison |
| Centric Consulting | Mid-size US firms writing AI usage policies. | Acceptable-use policies and staff adoption programs for generative AI | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| RTS Labs | Small US firms testing one idea cheaply. | The cheapest entry point here, with feasibility tests in place of strategy decks | 3.7 | Full comparison |
| Future Processing | European mid-size firms on a modest budget. | AI readiness checks at published Central European rates | 3.7 | Full comparison |
KPMG FAQ
What is KPMG?
Big Four network with an ISO 42001-certified AI management system and a large AI risk practice
How much does KPMG charge?
Pricing model: engagement fees per scope; rates not published. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does KPMG use?
KPMG works with EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001, NIST AI RMF, GDPR, DORA, Azure. Primary industries served include Banking, Insurance, Public sector, Healthcare, Energy, Manufacturing.
Is KPMG right for enterprise?
Best for: regulated firms needing audit-grade AI governance. Team size: 275,000+. Key consideration: Auditor-independence rules may stop it advising its own audit clients.
What are the best KPMG alternatives?
The best alternatives to KPMG depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Tensorway: two-interview method per use case, a written drop list, and a roadmap another vendor can implement
- PwC: EU AI Act compliance planned alongside DORA, GDPR, and NIS2 in one program
- appliedAI: advice from a German AI ecosystem with a non-profit institute focused on AI Act practice
Compare KPMG with other AI Advisory firms
Verify all details directly with KPMG before making a decision.