Telstra to form AI JV with Accenture

Australian carrier Telstra has this week detailed plans to form a joint venture (JV) with Accenture to speed up the company's data and AI roadmap. Telstra noted that the JV will enable its teams to operate more efficiently and effectively. The JV, which is set to be 60 percent owned by Accenture and 40 percent by Telstra, will comprise specialists from Telstra and Accenture’s Data & AI teams to build on Telstra’s work to create a data and AI ecosystem, modernize its data and AI platforms, and embed responsible AI by design.

The proposed JV is still subject to approval, dependent on consultation with Telstra’s employees and unions. If approved, Telstra's core Data & AI workforce, based in Australia and India, would receive an offer to join the JV. At the end of the seven-year term, JV employees would be offered a role at Telstra.

“We’ve made strong progress on our AI goals and already have hundreds of value-driving AI use cases across the business. This includes generative AI tools built in-house, like AskTelstra and One Sentence Summary, which are helping our people support customers more effectively and efficiently,” said Telstra CEO Vicki Brady. “But our data and AI ambition goes well beyond introducing AI tools. It goes to the heart of what we do – connecting Australia, and Australians to the world. From building self-healing, resilient networks, to reinventing experiences for our customers and the way we work, AI will help power an exciting, connected future."

Accenture added that the JV "would consolidate vendor support from 18 data and AI providers and partners down to two JVs - Quantium Telstra and the proposed joint venture with Accenture." Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, added: “We are entering a new era of AI-driven reinvention. Leading companies across the world are embracing agentic AI and generative AI to reinvent themselves using the technology and new ways of working to drive productivity and growth.”