Accenture Acquires Faculty to Scale AI and Names Marc Warner Global CTO

Accenture has agreed to acquire Faculty, a London based AI native services firm, to strengthen its applied AI capabilities and decision intelligence offerings. The deal includes the integration of Faculty Frontier, a specialized product for business process simulation and optimization. This acquisition aims to provide clients with secure AI solutions that deliver measurable outcomes across core operations. As part of the transaction, Faculty CEO Marc Warner will transition to the role of Chief Technology Officer at Accenture. Warner will also join the company’s Global Management Committee to help shape the firm's overarching technology vision and strategy. His background as a Harvard Research Fellow in Quantum Physics and his work on the UK AI Council bring a deep technical perspective to leadership.

Strengthening Technical Capabilities

The acquisition integrates over 400 professionals, including specialized data scientists and AI engineers, into Accenture's global teams. These experts will focus on the design and implementation of high performance AI systems that support safe adoption by client organizations. This move builds on a partnership established in December 2023 where Accenture served as a preferred implementation partner for Faculty software. Faculty is recognized for its "Safety by Design" approach, which addresses risks like bias and privacy throughout the development lifecycle. The firm has worked closely with organizations like the UK AI Security Institute and labs such as OpenAI to validate general purpose models. This expertise ensures that AI systems remain safe and ethical during large scale deployment in sensitive sectors.

Mission Critical Impact and Talent

One notable achievement of the firm was the development of the UK National Health Service Early Warning System during the pandemic. This tool helped hospital leaders predict patient demand and allocate critical care resources where they were most needed. Such mission critical applications demonstrate the company’s ability to apply AI in high pressure environments where failure is not an option.

Accenture will also expand the Faculty Fellowship Program globally to cultivate elite talent for its clients and internal teams. This program helps STEM PhD graduates transition from academic research into professional industry roles. This global initiative addresses the worldwide shortage of specialized technical expertise needed for the next wave of AI transformation.

The integration of Faculty Frontier into Accenture’s suite will help organizations make faster decisions by connecting data and AI models into a unified system. Companies like Novartis have already utilized this technology to optimize the planning and execution of clinical trials. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.