Companies invest in launch of Copilot business transformation practice, new capabilities and client training to accelerate and scale gen AI adoption
Copilot enables transformation for clients such as Repsol and Bricorama
Editor’s note — Nov. 14, 2024 — The press release below was updated to link to Accenture AI Refinery.
NEW YORK and REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 14, 2024 — In a strategic move to address the unprecedented demand for AI transformation, Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Avanade, their joint venture with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), are launching a copilot business transformation practice, supported by Microsoft, and co-investing in new capabilities, solutions and training to help organizations securely and responsibly reinvent their business functions with generative and agentic AI and Copilot technologies.
“The investment we are making with Microsoft takes our long-standing partnership to the next level, helping our clients accelerate and integrate AI at scale as a catalyst for reinvention,” said Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture. “The powerful combination of Microsoft Copilot, agentic and generative AI technologies, and Avanade’s and Accenture’s deep industry and functional expertise will help enable enterprises to reimagine their processes and operations, discover innovative ways of working, strengthen their security and open up new pathways to value.”
The Copilot business transformation practice will provide the technology and industry experience clients need to help accelerate and expand their use of Copilot and agents across the enterprise. The companies will collaborate on AI and Copilot agent templates, extensions, plugins and connectors to help organizations leverage their data and gen AI to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and drive growth. The companies will help clients leverage Microsoft’s gen AI-powered security capabilities to elevate the efficiency of their security operations and help analysts make better, faster decisions.
The practice consists of 5,000 professionals from Accenture and Avanade, supported by Microsoft product specialists who will work closely with the Accenture Center for Advanced AI. The team will tap into more than 50,000 Microsoft Copilot-trained professionals across Accenture and Avanade to help deliver industry and functional transformation. Clients will have access to specialized engineers and early access to the latest technologies, including the Accenture AI Refinery™, to create custom models and solutions. Accenture will leverage learnings from its use and deployment of 100,000 Microsoft 365 Copilots and agents, with a commitment to expand to approximately 200,000 users.
“We are pleased to deepen our collaboration with Accenture to help our mutual customers develop AI-first business processes responsibly and securely, while helping them drive market differentiation,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft. “By bringing together Copilots and human ambition, paired with the autonomous capabilities of an agent, we can accelerate AI transformation for organizations across industries and help them realize successful business outcomes through pragmatic innovation.”
Accenture and Avanade have already developed agents to streamline workflows, boost revenue and enhance customer experience. For example, a supplier discovery and risk agent can deliver real-time market insights, agile supply chain responses and better vendor selection, which could result in up to 15% cost savings. A procure-to-pay agent could improve efficiency by up to 40% and enhance vendor relations and satisfaction by addressing urgent payment requirements and avoiding disruptions of key services. They have also invested in building functional and industry Copilot solutions that are delivering client value, including:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot – The companies have developed Microsoft 365 Copilot solutions such as a readiness assessment and value accelerator, among others, to help clients effectively implement and successfully adopt and scale the technology for maximum value. They are helping Repsol, a global multi-energy company, deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot and a four month study has shown impressive results. Employees are saving a gross average of 121 minutes per week, enhancing productivity and the quality of outputs by 16%. Additionally, 61% favor the AI-enhanced workflows, noting improved confidence and motivation. Productivity gains were most significant in technical and professional roles, with engineering roles saving nearly 97 hours annually per employee. Maintenance roles saw even greater benefits, saving about 225 minutes weekly, which significantly enhanced the precision and consistency required in their tasks. These results underscore the transformative potential of generative AI in optimizing business operations and boosting employee satisfaction across the board.
- Industry and Functional Copilots – Together, the companies have developed Copilots for a variety of industries and functions including finance, manufacturing, supply chain, retail and consumer goods and healthcare. For example, they developed a Manufacturing Copilot powered by Microsoft Manufacturing Data Solutions in Fabric, to transform the shop floor and the way factory workers operate.
- Custom Copilots and Agents – The companies are using Microsoft Copilot Studio to extend foundational Copilots, like Microsoft 365 Copilot and industry and role-based Copilots, with enterprise knowledge to create autonomous agents that act on certain triggers or on the intent of the user to implement AI-powered, responsible and efficient workflows. Avanade and Accenture helped Bricorama, a French home improvement retailer, create a custom home improvement Copilot called “pAInt.” The pAInt app uses Azure OpenAI to guide customers through their projects.
Udacity, part of Accenture LearnVantage, and Microsoft have co-created a new Azure Generative AI Engineer Nanodegree program to equip learners with the skills to design, build, and operationalize AI-driven applications on Azure. In this fully online program, learners will use AI models to solve real-world problems through automation, data insights, and generative AI solutions. Learners will develop custom Microsoft 365 Copilot applications and implement models through hands-on projects with personalized support from industry advisors. Udacity’s Nanodegree program is available today and, for a limited time, learners can get started with the first lesson for free.
Deeper collaboration
Accenture will continue to support Microsoft in the transformation of its functions – including finance, sales, marketing and HR – with Copilot, leveraging its industry, functional and generative AI consulting services. Microsoft also selected Accenture to establish four Microsoft Co-Innovation Labs to incubate blueprints for AI-led design and experimentation, with immersive showcases within Accenture offices and Microsoft Co-Innovation Labs. At the labs, the companies will build pilots, leveraging assets developed by the Copilot business transformation practice, to inspire reinvention.
Having seen the value of Microsoft Copilot in its business, Accenture will leverage the latest Copilot agentic technologies to facilitate AI enabled augmentation and help transform clients’ business processes across corporate functions and industry-specific operations.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 774,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
About Avanade
Avanade is the world’s leading expert on Microsoft. Trusted by over 5,000 clients worldwide, we deliver reliable, AI-driven solutions that solve business challenges of all sizes and unlock the full potential of people and technology. We empower organizations to use Microsoft technology to optimize operations, drive growth, and foster innovation, enabling them to excel in delivering exceptional customer experiences.
Together with Accenture, we combine global scale with local expertise in AI, cloud, data analytics, cybersecurity, and ERP to create human-centered experiences. We are committed to doing what matters for our clients, their customers, employees and partners by designing solutions that prioritize people and drive meaningful impact.
Since 2000, Avanade has leveraged its close partnership with Microsoft to bring the latest technologies to market, serving as Microsoft’s “Client Zero” and earning, with Accenture, Microsoft’s Global SI Partner of the Year Award a record 19 times.
As a purpose-driven and responsible organization, Avanade champions diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, ensuring our work benefits society as well as drives business success.
Avanade. Do what matters. Learn more at www.avanade.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, that the partnership might not achieve its anticipated benefits and risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI could harm our business, damage our reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action, as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.
Contacts:
Microsoft Media Relations
WE Communications for Microsoft
(425) 638-7777
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Hannah Unkefer
Accenture
206-839-2172
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Thomas Wittek
Accenture
+49 152 52507486
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Claire Booty
Avanade
+44 7930760031
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