Firms spend money on launch of Copilot enterprise transformation follow, new capabilities and consumer coaching to speed up and scale gen AI adoption
Copilot permits transformation for shoppers reminiscent of Repsol and Bricorama
Editor’s be aware — Nov. 14, 2024 — The press launch beneath was up to date to hyperlink to Accenture AI Refinery.
NEW YORK and REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 14, 2024 — In a strategic transfer to deal with the unprecedented demand for AI transformation, Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Avanade, their three way partnership with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), are launching a copilot enterprise transformation follow, supported by Microsoft, and co-investing in new capabilities, options and coaching to assist organizations securely and responsibly reinvent their enterprise features with generative and agentic AI and Copilot applied sciences.
“The funding we’re making with Microsoft takes our long-standing partnership to the following degree, serving to our shoppers speed up and combine AI at scale as a catalyst for reinvention,” mentioned Julie Candy, chair and CEO, Accenture. “The highly effective mixture of Microsoft Copilot, agentic and generative AI applied sciences, and Avanade’s and Accenture’s deep {industry} and purposeful experience will assist allow enterprises to reimagine their processes and operations, uncover revolutionary methods of working, strengthen their safety and open up new pathways to worth.”
The Copilot enterprise transformation follow will present the know-how and {industry} expertise shoppers want to assist speed up and broaden their use of Copilot and brokers throughout the enterprise. The businesses will collaborate on AI and Copilot agent templates, extensions, plugins and connectors to assist organizations leverage their information and gen AI to scale back prices, enhance efficiencies and drive development. The businesses will assist shoppers leverage Microsoft’s gen AI-powered safety capabilities to raise the effectivity of their safety operations and assist analysts make higher, sooner selections.
The follow consists of 5,000 professionals from Accenture and Avanade, supported by Microsoft product specialists who will work carefully with the Accenture Heart for Superior AI. The workforce will faucet into greater than 50,000 Microsoft Copilot-trained professionals throughout Accenture and Avanade to assist ship {industry} and purposeful transformation. Shoppers may have entry to specialised engineers and early entry to the most recent applied sciences, together with the Accenture AI Refinery™, to create customized fashions and options. Accenture will leverage learnings from its use and deployment of 100,000 Microsoft 365 Copilots and brokers, with a dedication to broaden to roughly 200,000 customers.
“We’re happy to deepen our collaboration with Accenture to assist our mutual clients develop AI-first enterprise processes responsibly and securely, whereas serving to them drive market differentiation,” mentioned Judson Althoff, govt vice chairman and chief industrial officer at Microsoft. “By bringing collectively Copilots and human ambition, paired with the autonomous capabilities of an agent, we are able to speed up AI transformation for organizations throughout industries and assist them notice profitable enterprise outcomes via pragmatic innovation.”
Accenture and Avanade have already developed brokers to streamline workflows, enhance income and improve buyer expertise. For instance, a provider discovery and danger agent can ship real-time market insights, agile provide chain responses and higher vendor choice, which may end in as much as 15% value financial savings. A procure-to-pay agent may enhance effectivity by as much as 40% and improve vendor relations and satisfaction by addressing pressing cost necessities and avoiding disruptions of key companies. They’ve additionally invested in constructing purposeful and {industry} Copilot options which might be delivering consumer worth, together with:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot – The businesses have developed Microsoft 365 Copilot options reminiscent of a readiness evaluation and worth accelerator, amongst others, to assist shoppers successfully implement and efficiently undertake and scale the know-how for optimum worth. They’re serving to Repsol, a world multi-energy firm, deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot and a 4 month research has proven spectacular outcomes. Workers are saving a gross common of 121 minutes per week, enhancing productiveness and the standard of outputs by 16%. Moreover, 61% favor the AI-enhanced workflows, noting improved confidence and motivation. Productiveness beneficial properties have been most vital in technical {and professional} roles, with engineering roles saving almost 97 hours yearly per worker. Upkeep roles noticed even better advantages, saving about 225 minutes weekly, which considerably enhanced the precision and consistency required of their duties. These outcomes underscore the transformative potential of generative AI in optimizing enterprise operations and boosting worker satisfaction throughout the board.
- Business and Useful Copilots – Collectively, the businesses have developed Copilots for quite a lot of industries and features together with finance, manufacturing, provide chain, retail and client items and healthcare. For instance, they developed a Manufacturing Copilot powered by Microsoft Manufacturing Knowledge Options in Cloth, to rework the store ground and the way in which manufacturing unit employees function.
- Customized Copilots and Brokers – The businesses are utilizing Microsoft Copilot Studio to increase foundational Copilots, like Microsoft 365 Copilot and {industry} and role-based Copilots, with enterprise information to create autonomous brokers that act on sure triggers or on the intent of the consumer to implement AI-powered, accountable and environment friendly workflows. Avanade and Accenture helped Bricorama, a French house enchancment retailer, create a customized house enchancment Copilot known as “pAInt.” The pAInt app makes use of Azure OpenAI to information clients via their tasks.
Udacity, a part of Accenture LearnVantage, and Microsoft have co-created a brand new Azure Generative AI Engineer Nanodegree program to equip learners with the abilities to design, construct, and operationalize AI-driven purposes on Azure. On this totally on-line program, learners will use AI fashions to resolve real-world issues via automation, information insights, and generative AI options. Learners will develop customized Microsoft 365 Copilot purposes and implement fashions via hands-on tasks with customized help from {industry} advisors. Udacity’s Nanodegree program is obtainable right now and, for a restricted time, learners can get began with the primary lesson at no cost.
Deeper collaboration
Accenture will proceed to help Microsoft within the transformation of its features – together with finance, gross sales, advertising and HR – with Copilot, leveraging its {industry}, purposeful and generative AI consulting companies. Microsoft additionally chosen Accenture to ascertain 4 Microsoft Co-Innovation Labs to incubate blueprints for AI-led design and experimentation, with immersive showcases inside Accenture places of work and Microsoft Co-Innovation Labs. On the labs, the businesses will construct pilots, leveraging belongings developed by the Copilot enterprise transformation follow, to encourage reinvention.
Having seen the worth of Microsoft Copilot in its enterprise, Accenture will leverage the most recent Copilot agentic applied sciences to facilitate AI enabled augmentation and assist rework shoppers’ enterprise processes throughout company features and industry-specific operations.
About Accenture
Accenture is a number one international skilled companies firm that helps the world’s main organizations construct their digital core, optimize their operations, speed up income development and improve companies—creating tangible worth at velocity and scale. We’re a talent- and innovation-led firm with roughly 774,000 individuals serving shoppers in additional than 120 international locations. Know-how is on the core of change right now, and we’re one of many world’s leaders in serving to drive that change, with sturdy ecosystem relationships. We mix our energy in know-how and management in cloud, information and AI with unmatched {industry} expertise, purposeful experience and international supply functionality. Our broad vary of companies, options and belongings throughout Technique & Consulting, Know-how, Operations, Business X and Tune, along with our tradition of shared success and dedication to creating 360° worth, allow us to assist our shoppers reinvent and construct trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° worth we create for our shoppers, one another, our shareholders, companions and communities. Go to us at www.accenture.com.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and instruments powered by AI to ship revolutionary options that meet the evolving wants of our clients. The know-how firm is dedicated to creating AI obtainable broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower each particular person and each group on the planet to realize extra.
About Avanade
Avanade is the world’s main knowledgeable on Microsoft. Trusted by over 5,000 shoppers worldwide, we ship dependable, AI-driven options that remedy enterprise challenges of all sizes and unlock the complete potential of individuals and know-how. We empower organizations to make use of Microsoft know-how to optimize operations, drive development, and foster innovation, enabling them to excel in delivering distinctive buyer experiences.
Along with Accenture, we mix international scale with native experience in AI, cloud, information analytics, cybersecurity, and ERP to create human-centered experiences. We’re dedicated to doing what issues for our shoppers, their clients, staff and companions by designing options that prioritize individuals and drive significant influence.
Since 2000, Avanade has leveraged its shut partnership with Microsoft to carry the most recent applied sciences to market, serving as Microsoft’s “Shopper Zero” and incomes, with Accenture, Microsoft’s International SI Companion of the Yr Award a document 19 occasions.
As a purpose-driven and accountable group, Avanade champions variety, inclusion, and sustainability, making certain our work advantages society in addition to drives enterprise success.
Avanade. Do what issues. Be taught extra at www.avanade.com and observe us on LinkedIn.
Ahead-Wanting Statements
Aside from the historic info and discussions contained herein, statements on this information launch could represent forward-looking statements inside the that means of the Personal Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Phrases reminiscent of “could,” “will,” “ought to,” “doubtless,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “tasks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “aim,” “goal” and comparable expressions are used to determine these forward-looking statements. These statements aren’t ensures of future efficiency nor guarantees that objectives or targets will likely be met, and contain quite a few dangers, uncertainties and different elements which might be troublesome to foretell and will trigger precise outcomes to vary materially from these expressed or implied. These dangers embody, with out limitation, that the partnership may not obtain its anticipated advantages and dangers and uncertainties associated to the event and use of AI may hurt our enterprise, injury our popularity or give rise to authorized or regulatory motion, in addition to the dangers, uncertainties and different elements mentioned underneath the “Threat Components” heading in Accenture plc’s most up-to-date Annual Report on Type 10-Okay and different paperwork filed with or furnished to the Securities and Alternate Fee. Statements on this information launch communicate solely as of the date they have been made, and Accenture undertakes no responsibility to replace any forward-looking statements made on this information launch or to adapt such statements to precise outcomes or adjustments in Accenture’s expectations.
Contacts:
Microsoft Media Relations
WE Communications for Microsoft
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Hannah Unkefer
Accenture
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Thomas Wittek
Accenture
+49 152 52507486
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Claire Booty
Avanade
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