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Big 4 replace graduate roles with AI & Offshoring?

Big 4 US-UK once cried of accounting talent shortage, but are now slowing down on graduate hiring. Big 4 UK graduate job listings in accounting are down 44% year-on-year, as AI is increasingly replacing grunt work.

The Finance Story by The Finance Story
Published date: 10th July, 2025
Last edited date: 13th July, 2025
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Big 4 US, UK graduate jobs are vanishing: Thanks to AI & Offshoring
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  • Not Long Ago, the Big 4 were crying ‘Talent Shortage’…
  • Now? Big 4 firms in the US and UK are cutting back on graduate hiring, delaying start dates, and even trimming partner roles.
  • What’s changed? Two words: AI and offshoring.
  • But let’s be clear—AI is coming for offshore roles too: Think “Services as Software”.
  • Capgemini’s $3.3B WNS deal shows the future is all about “REIMAGINING” outsourcing, BPO, through = AI agents and autonomy (not just automation)!

Yes, Big 4 slashes entry-level roles

The Graduate Hiring Slump Is Real!

In the UK alone, graduate job listings in accounting are down 44% year-on-year, according to labour market platform Adzuna.

Some say this pullback is hitting harder in professional services than in most other industries.

The Big 4 — who collectively employ over 100,000 people in the UK — have significantly trimmed their intake over the past two years.

Here’s how Big 4 UK graduate hiring has changed:

Firm % Drop in Graduate Hiring Previous Intake Current Intake
KPMG 29–33% 1,399 942
Deloitte 18% 1,700 1,400
EY 11% Not disclosed Not disclosed
PwC 6% Not disclosed Not disclosed

Intern, start dates are being pushed — again

EY US (Parthenon Strategy), for example: In 2024, around 200 new hires had their start dates pushed by 6–12 months, with small stipends offered to keep them warm.

This isn’t a one-time event.

EY has now delayed graduate start dates three years in a row, with 2025 hires not starting until March 2026.

Also read: Big 4 firms introduce a new kind of audit – AI Audit services

Big 4 layoffs in Mid-Level and Partner exits

While entry-level hiring slows, firms are also actively trimming senior roles to protect partner profits.

The mood? Cautious. Lean. And very focused on margins.

Firm Actions Taken
PwC Laid off 1,500 in U.S. audit and tax (2% of U.S. workforce)
KPMG Cut 330 audit roles in the U.S. (4% of audit staff)
EY Removed 30 UK partners (largest cull in decades); trimmed consulting teams
Deloitte U.S. consulting cuts (hundreds); UK pay cuts and ~180 layoffs in advisory

Why the Pullback?

Firms are cutting costs to protect partner profits as client budgets shrink.

But the deeper reason? AI automation and offshoring!

AI is the New Trainee

What fresh grads used to do — compliance checks, document summaries, internal memos — is now being handled by GenAI-powered tools.

AI isn’t replacing all humans, but it’s surely replacing the “first few years” of grunt work.

Firm How Big 4 firms are using AI
EY Rolled out “EY.ai” platform across global audit
PwC Invested $1B+ in GenAI tools and training
KPMG Using GenAI in tax, finance, and client onboarding
Deloitte Building AI-driven managed services hubs to reduce headcount-based work

Offshoring

As AI gains momentum, Big 4 firms are accelerating offshoring through GCCs—not just support work, but core delivery—to hubs like India, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

The focus (of course): cheaper, faster, and increasingly smarter execution.

India is no longer the back office—it’s the new front office.

Firm India Operations Snapshot
Deloitte USI >100,000 staff supporting audit, tax, risk, and consulting
EY GDS 55,000+ staff in India handling global delivery across all verticals
PwC ACs U.S. audit/tax/advisory work handled in India — 5% now, 20% targeted
KPMG GDS 15,000+ in India across audit, tax, and advisory support

But here’s the thing: even these global capability centres (GCCs) and outsourcing firms are fast adopting AI.

With AI handling more tasks, layoffs are inevitable—even in back-end roles once considered “safe.”

Also read: PwC clients asking an awkward question – Where’s our AI Discount?

What this means for the Future of Work

AI and offshoring aren’t just trends — they’re reshaping the very foundation of what a “Big 4 career” looks like.

According to a 2024 HFS Research survey of 1,000 global enterprises:

  • 60% plan to replace traditional professional services with AI in the next 5 years
  • 48% are restructuring outsourcing contracts to be outcome-based, not people-based
  • 72% want AI-first solutions, not just automation layered onto old processes

The winning formula? Build expertise in areas where judgment, context, and human nuance matter most.

Wrapping up…

People worry: How will young professionals learn if entry-level roles vanish?

This isn’t just a hiring slowdown — it’s a fundamental shift in how talent is developed.

Without real experience, the next generation loses crucial skills.

But hey, looks like we’ve got to deal with it!

The Finance Story

The Finance Story

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