Accenture Technology Vision 2025

In January, Accenture has published the 25th edition of the report on Technology Vision 2025 exploring how the future is being shaped by AI-powered autonomy. As AI diffusion accelerates across the enterprise and society at a rate that is faster than any prior technology, 69% of executives believe it brings new urgency to reinvention and how technology systems and the processes it enables are designed, built and operated. The research also predicts AI will increasingly act as a technology development partner, a personal brand ambassador, power robotic bodies in the physical world, and foster a new symbiotic relationship with people to bring out the best in each other. Key topics from this report will be presented during the upcoming WAICF session on "How AI Can Take Experience to the Next Level."

In its report, Accenture explores the potential impact of generative AI (gen AI) as it ripples across multiple dimensions, including technology development, customer experience, the physical world and the workforce:

When foundation models cracked the natural language barrier, it kickstarted a shift that would forever change the fundamentals of software development and ecosystems. Already, gen AI coding assistants are elevating the role of developer to systems engineer, accelerating the democratization of code and digitization of businesses. The rise of custom systems as a result of gen AI assisted software development and the advancement of AI agents is igniting a shift from static application architecture to intention-based framework and agentic systems. As multi-agent systems become more capable, adaptive and personalized, it will inspire greater diffusion through enhanced competence, growing to manage processes and entire functions, from streamlining travel to optimizing inventory. For example, Accenture is enabling this future with its platforms, GenWizard, SynOps and AI Refinery, offering prebuilt industry agents and workflows to accelerate the time needed to build and see value from specialized multiagent systems. 

Organizations are racing to make AI a new customer touchpoint, but brands will only be able to achieve brand differentiation if the same focus is applied to AI experiences. While 80% of executives worry LLMs and chatbots could give every brand a similar voice, 77% agree brands can solve by proactively building personified AI experiences and injecting distinct brand elements, such as culture, values and voice, into those experiences through its digital brain.

Generalist robots will emerge over the next decade, bringing more AI autonomy into the physical world. It will be possible for introductory general-purpose robots to become specialist robots, learning new tasks very quickly. For example, KION Group is teaming with Accenture and NVIDIA, to optimize how AI-driven robots perform warehouse tasks and seamlessly interact with warehouse staff to fulfill orders faster, safer and at a lower cost. Eighty percent of executives believe that robots collaborating with people and continuously learning from those interactions will increase trust and collaboration between people and robots.

People and AI are defining a virtuous learning loop: where the more people use AI, the more it improves, and the more people want to use it. Unlike conventional automation, which yielded one-time benefits, this new age of AI can enhance and advance its skills over time, improving its value to the individuals using it and to organizations as a whole. A key priority (80%) for leaders is ensuring a positive relationship trajectory between people and AI—so it is not derailed by fears of automation—starting with communicating the strategy and bringing employees into the process. Accenture recently unveiled a Generative AI Scholars Program with Stanford Online to help clients sharpen gen AI knowledge and skills. In addition, organizations have the opportunity to equip every employee with a talented digital sidekick, one that will allow people to tap into new skills and grow use of gen AI tools. In turn, organizations will reap the benefit too, as individuals familiar with gen AI were found five-times more likely to have a positive perception of the technology.

For those interested in exploring these transformative insights further, please read the full Accenture Technology Vision 2025 report here. Furthermore, selected findings and contents of Accenture Technology Vision 2025 will be presented at WAICF 2025 on Feb. 14, during the Keynote “How AI can take experience to the next level”, presented by Stefano Sperimborgo (Accenture ICEG Data&AI Lead) and Alessandro Zanotti (Accenture Global Lead for Data Monetization).