AI as a promotion metric: Accenture tells senior staff to use tools or risk falling behind

Amid the accelerating shift toward artificial intelligence in the workplace, Accenture has told senior employees that consistent use of its AI tools will play a direct role in determining promotions to leadership roles — highlighting how rapidly AI fluency is becoming a core professional requirement.  

According to a report by Financial Times, associate directors and senior managers were informed that “regular adoption” of internal AI platforms would be evaluated as part of career progression. An internal note described usage of key digital tools as a “visible input to talent discussions,” effectively embedding AI engagement into performance assessments, the report added.  

AI-first strategy  

The policy comes as the consulting giant reshapes operations to align with an AI-led business model, combining restructuring with one of the largest corporate reskilling drives in the sector. The company is seeking to reposition itself as a technology-driven transformation partner for clients navigating automation and data-led decision-making.  

Chief Executive Officer Julie Sweet has underscored that retraining employees at scale is central to the strategy. Hundreds of thousands of workers have already undergone foundational instruction in generative AI, part of an effort to prepare a global workforce of roughly 780,000 for changing market demands. Leadership has acknowledged that the transition is happening under compressed timelines, with workforce adjustments where reskilling pathways are limited.  

Partnerships to accelerate upskilling  

To deepen in-house capabilities, the firm has entered multiple collaborations with leading AI developers. These include partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Palantir Technologies, aimed at training employees across conversational AI, large-language-model applications, and advanced analytics environments. The initiatives are designed to embed AI directly into consulting workflows rather than treat it as a standalone technical function.  

Part of broader Big Tech shift  

The move mirrors a wider trend across the technology sector, where companies such as Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Google have increasingly encouraged employees to integrate AI into everyday work. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has publicly cautioned that professionals who fail to embrace such tools risk falling behind. Where earlier digital transformations prioritised cloud, coding, or data literacy, the current wave places generative AI at the centre of organisational culture.