KPMG

Six AI Questions Enterprises Must Answer

A write-up of six strategic questions that surfaced repeatedly at KPMG's Tech and Innovation Symposium and on The AI Daily Brief. The article argues the enterprise AI paradigm has shifted from assisted AI (tooling that helps humans) to agentic AI (agents that do work), which forces foundational decisions about redesigning processes versus bolting on AI, thinking in architectures instead of vendor-by-vendor, provisioning and monitoring AI cost, practical enablement and knowledge transfer, how business models may change (e.g., outcomes-based pricing), and designing systems for planned obsolescence. The piece notes few organizations have answers yet and cites the need for technical layers such as multi-model tiering, routing, and token-cost observability — capabilities the author says their company Flatkey is building.

Back-to-school shoppers favor essentials over apparel

Reports from Circana and KPMG indicate back-to-school consumers are prioritizing essentials — school supplies and technology — while spreading apparel purchases across the school year rather than completing a single wardrobe refresh. Circana forecasts a modest decline in kids’ apparel dollar sales in Q3 driven by lower unit demand and finds significant consumer concern about clothing and footwear prices. KPMG's Consumer Pulse survey shows sporting participation is widespread and sporting supplies are increasingly treated as essential. Additional research notes higher use of BNPL financing and continued reliance on mass merchants for back-to-school shopping.

KPMG Law Portugal launches, strengthening KPMG’s global legal services offering

KPMG Law Portugal launches, strengthening KPMG’s global legal services offering