Accenture links leadership promotions to internal AI use

Lead

Accenture, one of the world's largest tech consultancies, started tracking employees' use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Since February 2024, management and executive teams were informed that promotion to leadership roles will consider frequent adoption of these technologies.

Development Section

Accenture's move reflects a clear strategy to accelerate internal digital transformation. In an internal email, the company detailed that "regular adoption" of AI—such as productivity assistants, task automation, and machine learning-based data analysis—will be monitored and factored into promotion processes for leadership positions. The goal is to ensure leaders align with tech trends and encourage their teams to use available AI solutions.

According to internal sources cited by the Financial Times, Accenture uses metrics to track the use of its own AI tools. This includes activity logs and usage reports, plus qualitative evaluations of how employees integrate AI into daily projects. Although the company hasn’t disclosed specific tools monitored, the expectation is that all professionals, especially leaders, demonstrate practical engagement with the technology.

This policy gains importance amid cultural and skill barriers to AI adoption. Recent industry research shows that despite enthusiasm, companies struggle to get teams to use AI consistently and with tangible results. By linking promotions to proven AI use, Accenture aims to overcome internal resistance and position itself as a digital transformation leader.

The market impact could be significant: the consultancy employs over 730,000 professionals globally and influences management practices in major client companies. Pressuring leaders to adopt AI is likely to accelerate training, experimentation, and creation of new automated workflows, raising efficiency and innovation standards in corporate services.

Outcomes and Outlook

With this change, other consulting and tech firms are expected to adopt similar policies, promoting an AI culture as a career advancement requirement. For Accenture employees, the message is clear: mastering and applying AI daily won’t just be a plus, but a must for management roles.

Experts predict the measure will speed up learning curves and expand the pool of professionals able to lead projects involving automation, predictive analytics, and generative AI integration. On the flip side, it will require ongoing investment in training and support to avoid excluding talent unfamiliar with new tools.

The key takeaway is that Accenture has formalized the link between practical AI use and career progression, signaling that mastery of these technologies will be central to leadership development in the corporate sector.