Core training for generative AI

How Deloitte Germany developed training with imc to ensure the compliant use of generative AI.

Deloitte is one of the largest auditing and consulting firms, offering a wide range of services in auditing, tax & legal, consulting, and corporate finance. The company has a history of over 175 years and operates in more than 150 countries with approximately 457,000 employees.

Deloitte Germany, with more than 12,500 employees, offers industry-leading services in the areas of audit and assurance, tax advisory, consulting, financial advisory, and risk advisory to nearly 90 percent of Fortune Global 500® companies and thousands of private companies.

Deloitte employees are increasingly using generative AI applications for many recurring tasks. From evaluating documents, drafting texts, or conducting market research, they use AI like an in-house version of ChatGPT. "Before an independent dynamic could develop with the increasing use of generative AI tools, we wanted to make sure that everyone knows which rules to follow," explains Astrid Lipphaus, part of the Learning & Development team. In the auditing and consulting environment, aspects like data protection, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance are particularly important when using generative AI.

From interns to auditors to executive management – the goal was to reach a large, diverse group with varying levels of knowledge through the training. The learning content needed to be easy to understand and, at the same time, as tailored as possible to meet the different needs of the learners. Beyond conveying compliance guidelines, the goal was to encourage colleagues to experiment with AI tools and show them possible applications.

The learning units had to convey the rules for handling AI tools memorably, while also being interactive and motivating, and visually different from existing training programmes.

Despite the diverse target group of the elearning programme, the team quickly settled on a familiar setup. This took the shape of a Microsoft Teams meeting, which is common at Deloitte – as in many other companies. Based on this, the Deloitte project team developed an engaging, concise elearning concept in collaboration with imc. Learners start the training and, after a short introductory video, find themselves in a Teams call discussing the use of generative AI tools in a fictional project. The other participants are fictional, represented by 3D avatars.

"Through the avatars, we were able to represent the different personas of the target group, for example, a long-standing employee who doesn’t understand the AI hype and is hesitant to use such tools; another avatar represents a young woman who’d prefer to work only with generative AI," explains Astrid Lipphaus. Graphics or small tests to verify knowledge then appear in the Teams call.

The creation process

Jessica Kliesch, Instructional Designer at imc, describes the creation process: "Due to the large, diverse target group of the training, all learning content had to be prepared as broadly as possible. When we started creating the training, the content wasn't yet finalised. Nevertheless, together with Deloitte, we managed to complete the elearning within a few weeks."

After imc developed a proposal for the structure, the Deloitte team created the videos themselves. The scripts were written by subject matter experts, and the Deloitte Neuroscience Institute produced the videos with their neuro-avatars. These are 3D scans of real people, which can be adapted to the learning needs of the target group using generative AI. Astrid Lipphaus: "Every learner should ideally see themselves in one of the fictional colleagues. So, we made sure to include diverse avatars. The training should be as realistic as possible and appeal to everyone."

To motivate employees to engage in the digital training, there was a large pre-launch communication campaign. This included an email from the CEO: "Our board of directors wanted to make sure that everyone knows how to use generative AI for Deloitte and where the boundaries lie. With the help of the campaign, we were able to ensure that the elearning became one of the most successful in the company within three months of its introduction," reports Lipphaus.

The high usage rates and positive feedback confirm the success. Since its launch, Deloitte has also introduced the elearning programme as the official GenAI core training in partner companies in France, Austria, and Central Europe.

Core training for generative AI

Deloitte Germany: 'Core GenAI training' for everyone

Training a diverse team in the compliant use of AI

An online meeting with fictional colleagues

The creation process

High usage rates and international release