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Accenture and NVIDIA form group to scale enterprise AI

Published 10/02/2024, 08:05 AM
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NEW YORK - Accenture (NYSE: NYSE:ACN) has announced the formation of a new NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) Business Group in partnership with NVIDIA, aimed at helping global enterprises scale their artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. This initiative is part of Accenture's broader effort to integrate AI into client operations, leveraging NVIDIA's comprehensive AI technology stack.

The new business group is a response to the increasing demand for generative AI, which contributed to $3 billion in Accenture bookings in the last fiscal year. It will focus on enabling agentic AI capabilities, which are designed to act on user intent, automate workflows, and reinvent business processes.

Accenture's AI Refinery platform, which utilizes NVIDIA's suite of AI tools, will be central to this endeavor. The platform will be accessible across various cloud environments, aiming to enhance process reinvention and AI-powered simulations.

In a statement, Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture, emphasized the transformative potential of generative AI, while NVIDIA’s CEO, Jensen Huang, highlighted the acceleration of enterprise innovation through AI.

To support this initiative, over 30,000 professionals globally will receive training to assist clients in reinventing processes and scaling AI adoption. The collaboration between Accenture and NVIDIA has already seen practical applications, such as the development of sovereign AI solutions for the Indosat Group in Indonesia, focusing on the financial services sector.

Additionally, Accenture is set to launch a network of AI Refinery Engineering Hubs across Europe, Asia, and North America. These hubs will address the challenges of scaling foundation model development and agentic AI architecture.

Accenture's own marketing function has begun deploying autonomous agents built in AI Refinery, achieving a reduction in manual steps and cost savings, with an expected increase in speed to market for campaigns.

The partnership and the initiatives it encompasses mark a significant investment in the future of agentic AI systems and their role in enterprise productivity and growth. This news is based on a press release statement.

In other recent news, Accenture continues to make notable strides in the market. The company's fourth-quarter fiscal year 2024 results were robust, showcasing year-over-year growth in new bookings for the second consecutive quarter. Mizuho Securities responded to this performance by raising the price target on Accenture's stock, while maintaining an Outperform rating. Similarly, TD Cowen upgraded Accenture's rating from Hold to Buy, reflecting optimism about the company's future prospects.

Accenture's recent financial disclosure revealed a significant uptick in new bookings, with growth exceeding 20% year-over-year. Moreover, the company provided a solid constant currency growth guidance for fiscal year 2025, ranging from 3% to 6%. This suggests a potential stabilization in IT Services spending.

Accenture also delivered impressive financial results, with record bookings of $81 billion and revenue of $65 billion in fiscal year 2024. The company's GenAI bookings for the quarter reached $1 billion, marking an 11% increase from the previous quarter, bringing the total GenAI bookings to $3 billion for the fiscal year.

In terms of analyst opinions, BMO Capital increased its price target for Accenture, highlighting the company's consistent bookings performance. William Blair maintained an Outperform rating on Accenture, emphasizing the company's leadership in AI development. However, Baird maintained a Neutral rating, citing cautiousness in IT spending. These are the recent developments that investors should note.

InvestingPro Insights

Accenture's strategic move to form the NVIDIA Business Group aligns well with its strong market position and financial performance. According to InvestingPro data, Accenture boasts a substantial market capitalization of $220.47 billion, underscoring its significant presence in the IT Services industry. This scale provides a solid foundation for the company's ambitious AI initiatives.

The company's focus on AI-driven growth is reflected in its robust financial metrics. Accenture's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q4 2024 stood at $64.89 billion, with a quarterly revenue growth of 2.63% in Q4 2024. This growth trajectory supports the company's capacity to invest in cutting-edge technologies like AI.

InvestingPro Tips highlight Accenture's strengths that are particularly relevant to this AI-focused partnership. The company is noted as a "Prominent player in the IT Services industry," which positions it well to lead in AI adoption and implementation. Additionally, Accenture "operates with a moderate level of debt," providing financial flexibility to pursue innovative projects like the NVIDIA Business Group.

It's worth noting that Accenture has demonstrated strong financial performance over time. An InvestingPro Tip indicates a "High return over the last decade," suggesting consistent value creation for shareholders. This long-term success bodes well for the company's ability to execute on its AI strategy effectively.

For investors interested in a deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers additional insights with 13 more tips available for Accenture. These tips could provide valuable context for understanding the company's position in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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