Accenture signage during the 2026 CES event in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.
Bridget Bennett | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Accenture has mandated that all senior staff regularly utilize its AI tools to be eligible for promotions to leadership positions.
According to a report by the Financial Times, associate directors and senior managers at the consulting firm were informed that “regular adoption” of AI tools is essential for advancement into leadership roles.
Accenture confirmed this information to CNBC, stating: “Our strategy is to serve as the preferred reinvention partner for our clients while also striving to be the most client-focused and AI-enabled organization.” The spokesperson emphasized the necessity of adopting advanced tools and technologies to effectively serve clients.
Furthermore, the spokesperson acknowledged that this directive had been communicated through an internal email, which noted, “The use of our key tools will be a visible input to talent discussions,” as reported by the Financial Times.
The Financial Times also noted that employees in 12 European countries, as well as those working in divisions focused on U.S. government contracts, will not be affected by this policy.
In September, Accenture announced a restructuring plan indicating that employees unable to adapt to AI would ultimately face layoffs.
During an earnings call, CEO Julie Sweet stated that all employees are expected to “retrain and retool” extensively, mentioning that 550,000 workers have already been trained on foundational concepts of generative AI, out of Accenture’s total workforce of 780,000 worldwide.
“Upskilling is our top priority. Given the skills we require and our experience in this area, we aim to expedite this process. Those lacking a viable path toward skill acquisition might need to transition out,” Sweet added.
At that time, Sweet emphasized to CNBC, “Our early investments in AI are indeed yielding results.” She highlighted that the urgency of AI technology has been recognized widely among CEOs and C-suites, noting, “While they are enthusiastic about the technology, many companies are not yet prepared to implement AI effectively.”
Recently, Accenture has announced several partnerships and initiatives. In December, Accenture partnered with OpenAI to enable access to ChatGPT Enterprise for tens of thousands of employees as part of their upskilling efforts in AI.
Similarly, Accenture has also collaborated with Anthropic to train 30,000 employees in the use of Claude AI tools, providing developers access to Claude Code for enhancing coding and AI-assisted tasks.
Additionally, other initiatives include expanding their relationship with Palantir, enabling over 2,000 Accenture employees to receive AI training on the company’s platforms.
