PKF Australia’s AI learning platform reaches 98% adoption

Nearly 850 staff across 13 offices are now using Luca Learning, demonstrating how AI can support professional development, simplify compliance and drive behavioural change across a national professional services network. 

PKF Australia's AI learning platform reaches 98% adoption 

There is no shortage of conversation about artificial intelligence right now. Most of it focuses on productivity, automation and the potential risks associated with rapid adoption.

At PKF Australia, over the past year, we have seen firsthand how AI can be used not to replace people, but to support their development. What began as a learning initiative has evolved into a broader lesson about technology adoption, behavioural change and the importance of maintaining human oversight in an AI-enabled environment. 

Today, 98% of our people across the PKF Australia network are active on Luca Learning, with nearly 850 staff using the platform across 13 offices. We have also recently welcomed PKF Malaysia onto the platform, further expanding its reach.

More importantly, we are seeing tangible changes in the way our people learn, access information and engage with professional development. 

Starting with the learning problem, not technology adoption

The decision to invest in Luca Learning was driven by two very specific challenges.

First, we wanted to provide our people with a safe AI research capability. Like many organisations, we recognised that in the absence of an approved alternative, staff may turn to free public AI tools, potentially creating confidentiality and data security risks.

Second, we wanted to rethink how learning is delivered across our network. Traditional learning models often struggle to keep pace with changing technical requirements, while lengthy training sessions can be difficult to fit into increasingly busy schedules.

Rather than adopting technology for technology’s sake, we set out to solve these problems in a practical, measurable way.

Luca Learning was introduced in February 2026 and has continued to evolve throughout the year as we refined the user experience and introduced enhancements designed to improve learning outcomes. 

Making learning more accessible and relevant for accountants

For graduate accountants in particular, professional development during the first two to three years of their careers is critical.

Managers invest significant time supporting development plans, while graduates are required to build technical capability across multiple disciplines. The challenge is ensuring learning is both effective and accessible.

One of the most significant recent developments has been the introduction of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) functionality. Staff can now complete learning through the platform, earn verifiable CPD points and generate their own CPD reports when required.

Importantly, learning is no longer tied to a specific location or time. Whether accessed via desktop or mobile device, learning can be completed whenever it best fits into an individual's schedule.

The result is greater flexibility for our people while maintaining the professional standards expected across the network.

“Every organisation is building AI agents to speed up workflows. Almost no one is building them to develop their people,” says Dr Lana Weldon, Chief Operating Officer at PKF Australia.

Transforming mandatory learning and compliance

One of the platform's biggest tests to date has been mandatory Anti-Money Laundering (AML) training.

Historically, managing compliance learning across a national network involved significant administration. Completion tracking relied on spreadsheets, follow-up communications and manual reporting processes. Obtaining confidence that every individual had completed the required learning on time was often challenging and created unnecessary risk.

Luca Learning has fundamentally changed that process.

Mandatory learning is delivered through short, engaging learning experiences that can be completed in the flow of work. At the same time, the national organisation has real-time visibility over participation, completion rates and compliance status.

For Chantel Dipple, National Director of Quality Management, the benefits extend beyond efficiency.

“Compliance for mandatory learning used to mean chasing spreadsheets from 13 offices and crossing fingers every name was ticked off when received. Now I receive reporting from Luca Learning weekly and can directly assist those who haven't completed it.”

“We've made adoption as easy as possible, the quality of the learning is standardised across all of our offices country-wide and it's mitigated a major risk for our firms.”

What matters most is that compliance has not come at the expense of engagement. The platform helps people complete mandatory learning efficiently, giving them more time to focus on broader professional development and technical learning requirements.

As importantly, the objective was never to reduce learning. It was to reduce the time burden associated with compliance learning, allowing people to focus more of their available development time on the technical, professional and advisory skills that help them build successful careers. 

Combining AI with trusted expertise

While AI plays an important role within the platform, it is not designed to replace expert judgement.

We have worked closely with senior advisers and partners across the network to build learning journeys that reflect the skills, knowledge and professional standards expected from our staff across Australia.

The platform's AI-powered chat functionality allows users to ask questions and receive answers drawn only from content that has been selected, reviewed and approved for inclusion in our knowledge library.

If a user requires additional context, the platform can direct them to the exact point within a learning video where the topic is discussed, allowing them to immediately access the relevant section rather than searching through long-form content. This helps connect learning with real-world questions while keeping people in the flow of work.

Just as importantly, the platform does not store client information or data entered by users, addressing one of the major concerns many organisations have regarding the use of publicly available AI tools.

This model ensures AI operates within clearly defined boundaries while remaining grounded in the expertise of our people. 

A lesson in responsible AI adoption

Much of the public discussion surrounding AI focuses on what can go wrong.

Those risks are real and should not be ignored. However, our experience over the past several months has reinforced an equally important lesson: successful AI adoption requires human control.

Within the PKF Australia network, we employ exceptionally talented people with deep technical expertise across our service lines. Their judgement, experience and professional scepticism remain fundamental to the quality of work we deliver to clients.

Technology can enhance workflows, accelerate access to information and reduce administrative burden, but experienced professionals must retain responsibility for the final outcome. 

Luca Learning reflects that philosophy. The content staff engage with is created or curated by our senior leaders, ensuring consistency, quality and relevance at every stage of the learning journey. As a result, we know exactly what our people are learning and the standards they are being exposed to throughout their development.

The result is a solution that gives our people greater flexibility and independence while helping our firms manage risk, maintain professional standards and strengthen the quality of service delivered to clients. 

The future of AI-powered learning at PKF Australia

For us, Luca Learning has demonstrated that when learning is accessible, measurable and relevant, engagement follows.

While the platform began as a learning initiative, it has become an internal case study in how technology can influence behaviour across an organisation. With nearly 850 active users and a 98% adoption rate, we are already seeing the benefits.

Yet we still believe Luca Learning is only at the beginning of its journey.

We are now entering a phase of continuous optimisation, where new ideas, user feedback and emerging technologies will continue to shape the platform. What excites us most is not the technology itself, but the opportunity to reimagine how knowledge is shared, developed and applied throughout a professional services organisation.

The possibilities are limited less by the technology itself and more by our imagination of what learning and knowledge-sharing could look like five or ten years from now.

The next chapter is not about replacing people with AI. It is about finding better ways to help people learn, grow and perform at their best. And in that respect, we believe the most exciting opportunities are still ahead of us.