How do you see your clients adopting AI and coping with the rapid changes it brings?
Business leaders have realized that AI is easy to try and difficult to scale, which is why they are turning to Accenture. And you can see this in the explosive growth of our advanced AI practices over the last couple of years.
How do you view these changes in artificial intelligence affecting the workforce?
AI is changing work, the workforce, and the workbench. The tools you are going to use, regardless of your job, are different. In the era of artificial intelligence, you will be improved. Accenture is helping clients change the way they do work to take advantage of this technology. And in terms of the workforce itself, you have to have different skills. You'll actually see two things: a reskilling program (which is why Accenture created LearnVantage, to allow companies to invest in their people), and you'll see a rotation of talent because not everyone will be able to make that journey as you transform your workforce.
How do you feel about training and professional development?
When you think about developing people, it's important to keep two things in mind. First: clarity and ability to update the skills needed as technology changes. Second, take a broad view of what skills are needed. For example, while we need leaders to understand technology, it is equally important that we have leaders who communicate well and know how to drive change. Because at its core, the age of artificial intelligence is about changing the way we work, bringing new ways of thinking and rethinking not just every part of the enterprise, but every part of the product.
What do you think about the risks associated with AI and responsible AI?
Trust is the foundation of using AI. Without trust, companies will be hesitant to move beyond pilot projects, and innovation will flourish along with it. Responsible AI is critical to the success of any AI enterprise as it is the foundation for scaling AI. Accenture had a responsible artificial intelligence program before anyone knew what it was saying. responsible AI. We embed responsible AI into everything we do, whether it's delivering to a customer or helping them use AI.
Can you give an example?
We've built a new product that ensures that, for example, when a company makes changes to its compliance policies, all the AI it uses is retrained to comply. It's hard to do. The product allows you to do this automatically across your enterprise, with all the artificial intelligence to ensure there is never a disconnect between the behaviors you need, the people who have them, and the digital agents who also need to comply with them. This is a real, tangible example that applies to absolutely any use of an AI agent. And we created this product because companies today, their HR departments are not set up to ensure that the AI agents acting on behalf of the company have policies and behaviors built in.
As a leader, what lessons have you learned during this period of transformation?
The human experience must remain at the center of all design because technology does not replace human ingenuity and people themselves. [That] ensures you have business value, not [just] an example of what AI can do. These are two different things. You can show cool AI stuff and have no business value.
