Microsoft is expanding its Copilot 365 AI assistant to all of Accenture's approximately 743,000 employees. This represents the largest enterprise deal for the AI chatbot, as Microsoft aims to increase paying users for its offering. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The move significantly boosts Microsoft's efforts to monetize its AI investments. Copilot, priced at $30 per month, has seen slow adoption, with only about 3% of Microsoft 365's over 450 million enterprise users currently subscribing.
This partnership builds on Accenture's previous plan to offer Copilot to 300,000 employees in 2024. Accenture has become a prominent adopter of AI, reportedly linking high-level promotions to the technology's use.
Charles Lamanna, head of Microsoft's M365 apps and Copilot platform, stated that the availability of multiple AI models, including Anthropic's and tools like 'Critique,' is driving demand.
Accenture reports significant productivity gains from its initial Copilot deployment. A company survey indicated that 97% of staff found Copilot helped them complete routine tasks up to 15 times faster, with 53% reporting major productivity improvements. Accenture CEO Julie Sweet noted that teams are now engaged in higher-value work due to the AI tool.