PwC Canada's AI Factory and firm-wide AI program earn national recognition for moving enterprise AI from experimentation to scalable, governed production

• PwC Canada has been named a 2026 IDC CIO Awards Canada winner, recognizing the firm's AI Factory and enterprise AI program for their impact on business value and innovation.
• The award celebrates PwC Canada's shift from isolated AI experimentation to a repeatable, enterprise-wide delivery capability.
• The recognition acknowledges the contributions and leadership of Irene Zaguskin, Chief Information Officer of PwC Canada and Co-CIO of PwC Americas, who stood up the firm's AI Factory and leads technology transformation and operations.

TORONTO, Aug. 31, 2026 /CNW/ -- PwC Canada today announced that it has been named a winner of the 2026 IDC CIO Awards Canada, recognizing outstanding IT innovation and measurable business value delivery. The award honours PwC Canada's AI Factory and firm-wide AI program, which have helped move enterprise AI from isolated pilots to a scalable, governed and repeatable capability across the organization.

"Over the past year, we've evolved our AI journey to build an enterprise capability that helps us reinvent how we work, serve clients and create value," said Irene Zaguskin, Chief Information Officer, PwC Canada. "Our AI Factory, powered by talent specialized in AI, has enabled teams across the firm to move beyond experimentation and deliver AI solutions at scale, supported by strong governance, trusted data and cross-functional collaboration. This recognition reflects the commitment, innovation and hard work of so many people across PwC Canada."

The AI Factory, led by Robert Bzdziuch, AI Factory and Products & Experiences Leader, PwC Canada, is the firm's internal team of specialized AI talent, including developers, architects, designers, product managers and project managers. Solutions from the AI Factory have enhanced how PwC Canada delivers services to clients, and the experience gained through its development strengthens the firm's broader AI capabilities and client conversations. PwC Canada's experience applying enterprise AI transformation within its own organization has given its teams practical, first-hand experience navigating the technology, data, governance and adoption challenges that clients face when moving AI from experimentation into enterprise-wide production.

"Congratulations to our AI Factory and all the incredible teams who support our firm's AI program and thank you to our partners who helped make this possible," added Zaguskin. "What makes this achievement especially meaningful is that it isn't about a single solution. It's about creating a sustainable foundation for innovation, one that lets us transform today so we can build tomorrow, and continues to generate impact across our firm and for our clients."

"We're thrilled to announce the winners of the IDC CIO Awards Canada 2026. This prestigious award celebrates exceptional Canadian organizations that are leveraging technology to drive digital transformation and deliver measurable business value within their organization," said Allice Shandler, Senior Director, Events – Americas at IDC and CIO Awards Canada Program Chair.

"This year's winning projects are not only innovative but also inspiring examples of what's possible when visionary leadership is paired with a highly skilled, future-focused workforce. We are honoured to recognize these achievements and the remarkable individuals behind them at our awards ceremony, which will take place following IDC's CIO Summit Canada event on November 19, 2026, at Delta Hotels Toronto," Shandler added.

Now in its fifth year, the IDC CIO Awards Canada program recognizes Canadian organizations and their teams for leveraging technology to drive business success, demonstrating IT innovation and delivering measurable business value. PwC Canada's recognition underscores the firm's commitment to embedding responsible AI governance from the outset and measuring success by business value delivered, rather than by the number of pilots or proofs of concept.

About PwC Canada

At PwC Canada, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We're a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 6,500 partners and staff in offices across the country. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting, we help build, accelerate and sustain momentum.

PwC refers to the Canadian member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. Find out more by visiting us at: http://www.pwc.com/ca 

© 2026 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership. All rights reserved.

About the IDC CIO Awards Canada

The IDC CIO Awards for Canada celebrate Canadian organizations and the teams within them that are using IT in innovative ways to deliver business value, whether by creating competitive advantages, optimizing business processes, enabling growth, or improving relationships with customers. The award is an acknowledged mark of enterprise excellence and a source of pride for all winning organizations.

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the technology intelligence layer of the AI economy. A global leader in research and data for more than 60 years, IDC's expert analysts, proprietary data sets, and rigorous methodologies are trusted by business and IT leaders to guide critical business strategies and IT investments. Today, that intelligence is built into the tools and workflows where work gets done with IDC Quanta, making work sharper, teams faster, and businesses harder to beat. Visit https://www.idc.com/, subscribe to the IDC blog, or follow IDC on X and LinkedIn for the latest industry insights.

SOURCE PwC Management Services LP