Vera (“Vera”) today issued a statement in response to the recently revealed AI-enabled errors in a consulting report by Deloitte’s Australian operation.

When consulting outputs include errors - even unintended - the basis for client trust erodes.”
— Dr. Ghazaleh Samandari, Ph.D., Vera Co-Founder.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, November 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Vera (“Vera”), a human-centered workforce intelligence company built on behavioral and data science, today issued a statement in response to the recently revealed AI-enabled errors in a consulting report by Deloitte’s Australian operation. These errors underscore a critical risk for all consulting and professional-services firms: deploying generative AI for research and deliverables without a clearly defined best-practice governance framework invites reputational, legal and operational fallout.

In October 2025, Deloitte Australia agreed to a partial refund of its contract with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), after a 237-page review it produced was found to include fabricated citations, misattributed court quotations, and references to nonexistent academic works. The firm disclosed that the report had been partly authored using a generative AI large language model (Azure OpenAI GPT-4o).

According to commentary from industry analysts, the episode is more than a mistake. It is a “wake-up call” for consulting firms that use AI aggressively but may lack mature oversight mechanisms.

As a firm whose mission is to bring rigorous data-and-behavioral-science-grounded solutions into the enterprise workforce domain, Vera views this incident as symptomatic of a broader gap in consulting practices around AI.

“When consulting outputs include errors - even unintended - the basis for client trust erodes. It also shows a gap in governance where firms have adopted generative AI tools like ChatGPT without formalizing roles, verification frameworks, transparency protocols and human-in-the-loop oversight,” comments Dr. Ghazaleh Samandari, Ph.D., Vera Co-Founder.

Vera believes that this episode highlights three key imperatives for consulting firms (and their clients) to address now. “In this race to be first to market, it needs to be a race to be right,” comments Julie Cropp Gareleck, Co-Founder, Vera. “Human-Centric oversight and verification becomes critical to safeguarding against AI errors or hallucinations.”

For consulting firms: This case sends a caution to those still treating generative AI as a “value-lever” without equal investment in governance, accountability and audit trails. Firms may face increased client scrutiny, higher cost of doing business (to ensure verification), and potentially greater exposure to contract penalties or refund obligations.

For corporate clients and public-sector buyers: Organizations commissioning consulting services should now demand more rigorous assurances around AI usage, sourcing of content, chain-of-custody of research, and revision-capability of deliverables. Asking for “AI assurance” is no longer niche. It is becoming standard due diligence.

For the industry broadly: This incident will likely accelerate the development of best-practice frameworks, standards, and possibly regulation around generative AI in professional services (e.g., audit, consulting, legal). Firms that adopt thoughtful AI governance now will be better positioned than those who react later under pressure.

At Vera, we practice what we preach. We deliver workforce-intelligence solutions backed by behavioral science and transparent, human-led AI frameworks. Our approach emphasizes:
• Human-in-the-loop verification of all algorithmic outputs,
• Documented provenance of data and algorithmic logic,
• Clear disclosure to clients about use of AI and human judgement,
• Ongoing monitoring of outcomes to detect unintended bias or drift.

We believe that the future of consulting and workforce intelligence is not “AI instead of humans,” but “AI + humans done right,” says Samandari.

About Vera
Vera is a human-centered workforce intelligence company headquartered in Atlanta, GA, dedicated to helping executive leadership and managers translate people-data into meaningful and measurable outcomes. Our patent-pending behavioral-AI framework is designed to uncover productivity blockers, retain key talent, craft inclusive cultures, and elevate workforce strategy.

Media Contact
Vera
[email protected]
Julie Cropp Gareleck, Co-Founder
+1 (215) 519-6910

Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements and commentary regarding trends in AI governance and professional services. It is not intended as legal or regulatory advice. Vera disclaims any obligation to update statements except as required by law.

Julie Cropp Gareleck
HRIS& R LLC
+1 215-519-6910
email us here
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