PwC US is set to introduce a Critical Thinking & Judgment Certificate programme for more than 85,000 partners and employees.
It will also make its “proprietary framework” available to universities interested in using it as AI takes on more foundational tasks in the workplace, it said in a statement.
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The firm plans to begin the training in December 2026 across its US and Mexico offices, as well as its Acceleration Centers.
Participants are expected to complete the programme by June 2027.
PwC said the initiative is intended to provide employees with a practical and repeatable way to assess information, question assumptions, and exercise judgement, particularly where AI is involved.
The firm has developed the Critical Thinking & Judgment framework internally and will continue validating it with academic input. Contributors include professors affiliated with the Wharton School and Harvard University.
The framework is intended to support professionals handling complex decisions by helping them establish context, test information and assumptions, and communicate recommendations clearly and accountably.
The programme will open with a diagnostic scenario, enabling participants to identify their thinking preferences, strengths, and development opportunities.
Employees will then learn the framework and use it in practical situations. PwC leaders and external thought leaders will also feature in masterclass-style videos focused on the skills behind sound judgement.
Participants will subsequently undertake personalised simulations linked to their roles.
In early 2027, PwC plans to offer the framework to any university seeking to include it in academic courses. Additionally, the company plans to support selected universities through its Student Human Skills Initiative, an extension of its Human Skills Project.
