Accenture CEO Julie Sweet has delivered a clear message to employees aiming for career growth at the consulting giant: learning and using artificial intelligence tools is now essential for promotion. As AI becomes central to the company's operations, employees are expected to demonstrate proficiency with the technology in their daily work.
Speaking on the Rapid Response podcast, Sweet explained that AI is no longer optional within the organisation but part of the standard way the company operates.
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"If you want to get promoted, you've got to do the things that we do to operate Accenture. These are the new tools to operate a company. We didn’t go from zero to 'you won't get promoted' in a month. It's over a three-year period of getting used to the technology, making sure it's user-friendly, making sure we have the right workbench for people to use, and then saying, 'Hey, this is Accenture and how we operate,'" Sweet said.
AI becoming central to Accenture's operations
Sweet's comments come as Accenture continues to expand the use of artificial intelligence across its business processes and employee workflows.
In September 2025, the company said it had invested more than $865 million in a six-month business optimisation programme. The initiative included reskilling thousands of employees while also removing workers who chose not to adapt to the company’s evolving technology environment.
Multi-billion-dollar plan to build AI workforce
The push for AI adoption at Accenture began earlier. In 2023, the company announced a three-year, $3 billion reskilling plan designed to integrate AI across its operations.
As part of this initiative, Accenture aimed to grow its AI workforce to 80,000 professionals through a mix of hiring, acquisitions and internal training programmes. The company currently employs more than 7,70,000 people worldwide.
Comparing AI training to earlier technology shifts
Sweet compared the current shift towards AI with earlier technological transitions in the workplace, such as the move from typewriters to computers.
"No one would have said that requiring someone to use a computer is coercion. It’s how the companies were going to get work done. Today, AI at Accenture is how we do work," she explained.
Sweet has also said that companies hoping to benefit from artificial intelligence need to rethink how they operate rather than simply adding AI tools to existing systems.
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"First of all, I think we're a good lesson in something that I'm advising CEOs all about: To capture the opportunity with AI, you really have to be willing to rewire your company," Sweet said.
She acknowledged that adapting to the changes has not always been easy for employees and clients.
"For our people and our clients, it was hard. How do you have the courage to do that? That's where you have the humility, but also this idea of embracing change and innovation," Sweet noted.
