Accenture Plc announced plans to double its AI staff to 80,000, just three months after shedding 19,000 jobs in a cost-cutting effort.
The professional-services company will invest $3 billion in its Data & AI practice over the next three years to help companies develop the new strategies they’ll need to capitalize on the boom in artificial intelligence, Accenture said in a statement on Tuesday. Much of the investment will focus on helping clients maximize generative AI, which creates visual works or text based on simple prompts.
“There is unprecedented interest in all areas of AI, and the substantial investment we are making in our Data & AI practice will help our clients move from interest to action to value, and in a responsible way with clear business cases,” said Chief Executive Officer Julie Sweet.
Accenture’s announcement comes after the company cut 2.5% of its workforce in March, with over half of the cuts affecting individuals in non-billable corporate functions including human resources, financial and legal departments.
