Accenture ties promotions to tech adoption: "No AI, no raise."

Accenture has started monitoring how employees use its artificial intelligence (AI) tools and plans to include this usage in promotion decisions. According to a report by The Guardian, citing the Financial Times, senior managers and associate directors have been told that moving into leadership roles will require regular use of AI tools.

An internal email reportedly stated that the use of key AI tools will be considered during performance and talent reviews later this year. The company has also begun tracking weekly logins to its AI platforms for certain senior staff members to measure engagement.

This move comes after Accenture announced in September that it would lay off 11,000 employees worldwide as part of cost-cutting efforts linked to its shift toward AI. CEO Julie Sweet had earlier said the company was “exiting employees” in roles where reskilling was not possible.

Speaking at the AI Summit in New Delhi, Sweet said AI would ultimately expand the IT services industry and create more jobs for companies that successfully adapt. She noted that in the past, the company used robotic process automation (RPA) and other digital technologies to automate thousands of roles but also created new jobs in emerging areas. According to her, companies that adopt automation can free up resources to invest in new technologies and future growth.

Accenture has grown significantly over the last decade, increasing from around 275,000 employees and $29 billion in revenue in 2013 to more than 750,000 employees and $70 billion in revenue today. The company has trained about 550,000 employees in generative AI, compared to just 30 employees in 2022. It is now extending AI training to all staff as part of its $1 billion annual investment in learning and development.

One of the tools being monitored is AI Refinery, which Accenture says helps businesses convert raw AI technology into practical business solutions. However, some groups — including staff in 12 European countries and teams working on US federal contracts — are excluded from the tracking policy.

The new policy has received mixed reactions. Some senior employees have questioned the usefulness of certain AI tools, with one reportedly calling them ineffective. Another said they would consider quitting if the requirement applied to them. Industry experts say this highlights a broader issue in professional services firms, where senior leaders are often slower than junior staff to adopt new technologies, especially when they are more comfortable with traditional ways of working.