Accenture says AI buzz is bigger than real impact, H-1B visa changes won’t impact

Tech giant has cautioned that the real-world benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) are yet to match the massive hype surrounding the technology, prompting the company to flag job cuts.

Julie Sweet, chair and chief executive of Accenture, said during the firm’s post-earnings analyst call that AI has gripped corporate attention faster than any technology in recent decades, but adoption remains sluggish, as per a report by Mint.

“It is well recognised that advanced AI has taken the mind share of CEOs, the C suite and boards faster than any technology development we’ve seen in the past few decades,” Sweet noted.

“At the same time, as reported widely, value realisation has been underwhelming for many and enterprise adoption at scale is slow, other than with digital natives,” she added.

Visa policies not a concern

On policy shifts in the US under President Donald Trump, including the steep hike in H-1B visa fees, Sweet clarified that Accenture’s operations would see minimal disruption.

“This (H-1B) is really a non-issue because we only have about 5 per cent of our people in the US on H-1B visas, and they are for really specialized experience and skills for our clients. So, you know, (this is) not something that is really a big impact on Accenture,” she said.