Artificial intelligence creates 40,000 new roles at Accenture

Accenture will invest $3bn over three years in its data and artificial intelligence (AI) practice, which will include adding 40,000 AI experts to the workforce, making acquisitions and training existing staff.

AI-skilled staff will be added through hiring, training and acquisition, said Accenture.

The IT services giant said it would use the data and AI practice to develop services for 19 specific industry sectors based on AI to take advantage of what it described as the generative AI “megatrend” in its recent technology vision report.

Following the $3bn investment announcement, Paul Daugherty, group chief executive at Accenture Technology, said: “Over the next decade, AI will be a megatrend, transforming industries, companies, and the way we live and work, as generative AI transforms 40% of all working hours.

“Our expanded data and 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.”

As part of the investment, Accenture said it would double its AI talent pool to 80,000.

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet said: “Companies that build a strong foundation of AI by adopting and scaling it now, where the technology is mature and delivers clear value, will be better positioned to reinvent, compete and achieve new levels of performance. 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.”

Accenture has already established a company-wide team, the generative AI and large language lodel (LLM) center of excellence. It has also published its A new era of generative AI for everyone study of generative AI/LLM, advising businesses on the use of the technology.

In March, when announcing its annual tech vision, Accenture said the distance between digital and physical worlds would “collapse” over the next 10 years, with the adoption of generative AI accelerating change.

A study of nearly 5,000 senior executives across the globe, which was part of Accenture’s tech vision report, When atoms meet bits: The foundations of our new reality, revealed 96% believe the convergence of the digital and physical worlds will transform business in the next 10 years.