Ernst & Young giving $100 million in bonuses for human skills

Ernst & Young giving $100 million in bonuses for human skills

Mon, August 31, 2026 at 8:09 PM GMT+3 2 min read

Ernst & Young's U.S. division has committed $100 million this fiscal year to rewarding employees who exhibit adaptability, innovation, and judgment — traits the firm considers indispensable to translating AI adoption into meaningful results.

Spot awards top out at $500 per individual, and employees or teams whose contributions significantly move the needle for the firm are eligible for cash prizes ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 — a ceiling five times higher than under the previous program, the company said. There is no cap on how much any individual can receive overall, and employees can nominate colleagues at any level.

"What we recognize signals what we value," Ginnie Carlier, chief talent and culture officer for EY Americas, said. The reward program also covers experimentation with AI, not just the human skills needed alongside it.

Carlier framed the effort as a long-term undertaking. "This isn't a problem that can be solved with a training course or a single program; it's going to take a sustainable, radical change," she said.

The bonuses sit within a wider push to rethink how the firm develops its people, spanning every career stage from entry-level interns to the most senior leaders, the company said. EY recently announced a career residency offering up to 12 months of training after the standard eight-week internship, and says 95% of its partners have completed in-person sessions on how AI can reshape business models and workflows.

Ernst & Young is not alone in prioritizing human skills as AI becomes more embedded in daily work. KPMG restructured its audit internship curriculum this summer, directing greater attention toward developing critical thinking and sound judgment among participants, according to The Wall Street Journal. PwC U.S. introduced a new training program earlier this year designed to develop AI proficiency alongside distinctly human qualities such as empathy and creativity, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Professional-services firms have also started rethinking their fee structures, with AI-driven efficiency gains shrinking the hours required for routine work and making output-based pricing an increasingly attractive alternative, the company said. EY said its AI-related revenue rose 30% year-over-year in 2025, the most recent data available.