KPMG launches AI assistant for month-end financial close

KPMG has launched an AI digital assistant for the month-end financial close, built with Workday and Google Cloud.

Called KPMG Ignite Financial Close Companion, the assistant is aimed at legal entity controllers and accounting analysts. It integrates with Workday and uses Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise to handle routine accounting work and first-pass analysis, while maintaining human review and sign-off.

The product targets a part of corporate finance that still relies heavily on manual work. Month-end closing often requires teams to reconcile figures, review trial balances, investigate exceptions, and complete a long sequence of checks before results can be reported.

The assistant can automate routine tasks through natural language instructions, manage a structured month-end checklist, and analyse financial data to identify discrepancies and anomalies. It is designed to reduce manual touchpoints, shorten reporting turnaround times, and support compliance with accounting and regulatory requirements.

KPMG framed the launch as part of a broader push to embed AI tools in day-to-day finance operations rather than limit them to advisory work. In the model described by the three companies, the software works alongside finance staff as a digital assistant, while accountants retain responsibility for judgment and approval.

Brian Anderson, Workday Platform Leader at KPMG, said finance teams are under pressure to speed up reporting.

"As organizations face pressure for faster, more efficient financial reporting, the need for a streamlined and automated financial close is critical. By harnessing the power of Gemini Enterprise and integrating seamlessly with Workday, the agent directly addresses these challenges, enhancing efficiency and accuracy while saving valuable time for accountants," Anderson said.

"This collaboration allows finance teams to close faster with greater confidence while freeing professionals to focus on higher-impact strategic work," he added.

Three-way build

The launch reflects a three-way product effort combining KPMG's finance and accounting practice with Workday's finance and HR software and Google Cloud's AI models. For KPMG, the release also strengthens alliances it has been building with large technology partners, as professional services firms seek a bigger role in shaping how clients deploy AI tools.

Workday emphasised the connection between workforce data and financial processes inside its platform. It argued that this integration could help finance teams avoid the fragmented workflows that often slow the close cycle.

"The future of finance depends on how well you can connect your people and your numbers," said Kathleen Curry, Global Vice President, Global Channels, Workday. "By building directly on Workday's platform, KPMG has created a tool that brings HR and financial data together to solve the headache of the manual month-end close. This partnership isn't just about new technology; it's about giving finance teams their time back so they can stop chasing data and start advising the business."

Google Cloud cast the project as an example of AI agents handling repetitive work inside established enterprise software environments. That approach has become a common theme across the software industry as vendors move from general-purpose assistants to tools tied to specific business processes and data sets.

"Our collaboration with KPMG and Workday is a prime example of the 'digital teammate' model in action," said Kevin Ichhpurani, President, Global Partner Ecosystem, Google Cloud. "By grounding Gemini Enterprise in Workday's environment, KPMG has built a sophisticated agent that offloads the most repetitive financial tasks, allowing accountants to focus on high-value strategic insights."

Finance focus

KPMG said the assistant was built specifically for finance teams and the month-end close, a process that can require extensive coordination across legal entities and long working hours for accounting staff. In that context, the assistant is intended to execute tasks in sequence, reduce the risk of omissions, and flag issues for further investigation.

The firm also presented the tool as part of a wider shift in how finance professionals will work with AI. Rather than replacing core decision-making, the technology is being positioned as a way to absorb repetitive administrative tasks and support early-stage review, leaving staff to handle exceptions, oversight, and final approval.

Webb Armentrout, Principal & Firmwide Ecosystem Lead at KPMG, linked the launch to the firm's broader AI strategy and partner network.

"This is our strategy in motion. We are not just advising on AI; we are embedding it into the core of our clients' operations through our powerful ecosystem," Armentrout said.

"The Financial Close Companion is a testament to the strength of our alliances with Workday and Google Cloud. By uniting their leading technology with our deep industry expertise, we are creating exponential value and delivering solutions that are practical, powerful, and built for what's next," he added.