Accenture Plc is preparing for a period of slower growth, a significant development considering the unprecedented pace at which artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the attention of its clients. Despite AI's high mind share among CEOs, C-suite executives, and boards, the consulting giant notes that the technology's promise has so far outstripped its real-world impact, with enterprise adoption at scale remaining slow and value realization often underwhelming, except for digital natives.

In its September-August financial year, Accenture reported a revenue of $69.7 billion, marking a 7% increase from the previous year. This translates to an incremental revenue of approximately $4.78 billion. For context, Accenture's additional revenue alone during the year surpassed the cumulative total of about $3.1 billion achieved by India's 10 largest IT firms for their fiscal year ending March. The company's management highlighted that this strong performance was delivered against a challenging macroeconomic backdrop that did not improve over FY24. The United States continues to be Accenture's largest market, contributing half of its total revenue.

Looking ahead, Accenture anticipates a slowdown in growth and has guided for a revenue increase of 2-5% in local currency terms for FY26. This projection takes into account potential deterioration in discretionary client spending. In line with its strategic adjustments, Accenture reduced its headcount by 11,000 employees during the June-August period, concluding the year with 779,000 employees. The rise of AI is expected to necessitate further workforce adjustments, as the company aims to acquire new skills by