Accenture announces new set of services for customising foundational models

IT consulting company Accenture today introduced a set of new services to help companies customise foundational models and scale generative AI applications. The new services include a proprietary generative AI model “switchboard,” customisation techniques, model-managed services and specialised training programs.

Switchboard will allow users to select a combination of models to address the business context or based on factors like cost and accuracy. Users will also be allowed to customise large language models (LLMs) for specific business contexts, data sources, and techniques, along with managed services for ongoing finetuning and prompt engineering.

In terms of training and offering certification courses, Accenture continues to collaborate with academic institutions, the company said in a statement. For instance, as part of its collaboration with the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, Accenture has created its Foundation Model Scholar Program to provide certifications related to large-language model skills.

“In order to move from experimentation to scaled implementation, our clients need a strong data and AI foundation, which is underpinned by large language models that are tailored to meet their specific business needs, along with the training needed for their people to use and manage those models. Our new foundation model customisation services help our clients accelerate access and contextualise enterprise data to drive tangible value from generative AI,” said Julie Sweet, chair and chief executive officer of Accenture.

Accenture’s foundation model services and its proprietary LLM assets were developed by its Center for Advanced AI, which builds on the company’s $3 million investment in AI, announced in June. At the time, the consulting firm said that investment would be made 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.