Accenture to invest $3 billion in AI, double talent workforce to 80,000

Information technology consulting firm Accenture has announced a $3 billion investment over three years in its data and artificial intelligence practice. It includes investment in industry solutions, ecosystem partnerships, and other assets. The company also plans to double its AI talent workforce to 80,000 professionals through hiring, acquisition, and training. 

“Our expanded Data & AI practice brings together the full power and breadth of Accenture in creating industry-specific solutions that will help our clients harness AI’s full potential to reshape their strategy, technology, and ways of working, driving innovation and value responsibly and faster than ever before,” said  Paul Daugherty, group chief executive, Accenture Technology.

Accenture is also introducing a new generative AI-based platform called AI Navigator for Enterprise to help clients understand the architecture and algorithms, make decisions, and include responsible AI in their practices and programs. Further, the company is building data and AI accelerators for 19 different industries and other pre-built industry and functional models. To further advance the generative AI use cases, Accenture’s Center for Advanced AI will focus more on research and development.

“Our clients have complex environments, and at a time when the technology is changing rapidly, our deep understanding of ecosystem solutions allows us to help them navigate quickly and cost-effectively to make smart decisions,” said Julie Sweet, chair and chief executive officer, Accenture.

Accenture has already embedded AI across platforms such as myWizard, SynOps, and MyNav for service delivery, improving efficiency, and deriving insights. Internally, the company identified 300 use cases of generative AI, said  Bhaskar Ghosh, Accenture’s global chief strategy officer in an interview with The Economic Times last month.

The latest investment follows the IT consulting firm’s March announcement of the establishment of AI and large language models centre of excellence (CoE). This CoE will have 1,600 Accenture employees working on developing generative AI solutions for its clients, the company said.