Global consultancy launches capital projects arm as A.I data centre demand soars

Accenture (ACN) was chosen by Anthropic as its first embedded evaluator for AI safety, with both companies committing at least $1 billion over five years. Accenture's AI division, Faculty, will work directly with Anthropic to test models and safeguards, potentially gaining expertise to offer similar services to other AI developers. However, the financial terms and potential risks, such as independence and reputational issues, remain unclear.

Accenture and Anthropic plan to invest $1 billion each over five years to embed Accenture's AI unit, Faculty, within Anthropic for model evaluation. Faculty will assess safety, alignment, and safeguards, with direct access to Anthropic's development process. The partnership is non-exclusive, and details on funding allocation and operational specifics are not yet disclosed.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) launched Accenture Construct, a new global business focused on planning, delivering, and optimizing large infrastructure and capital projects. The initiative targets sectors like airports, power grids, and data centers, aiming to address fragmentation in capital project delivery amid a global investment supercycle. The company highlights the need for better project management and optimization to drive efficiency and value for clients.

Irish tax filings show Apple and Microsoft accounted for 98% of €20.1B in corporate tax payments from 25 multinationals. Accenture, Bank of America, and Walgreens Boots Alliance also paid significant sums. The data covers a 19-month period ending January 2026, with total Irish corporation tax receipts at €60B. EU rules mandate disclosures for firms with global revenues over €750M.

Accenture (ACN) and Anthropic have partnered to integrate AI safety evaluators, with each committing at least $1 billion over five years. Accenture shares rose 6% post-market. The partnership aims to enhance AI safety governance, but investors remain concerned about AI's impact on Accenture's core consulting business. Morgan Stanley downgraded Accenture, citing AI's pressure on traditional IT budgets. Hedge fund interest has slightly increased, while short interest stands at 4.64% of float.

Accenture (ACN) shares rose 3% after announcing a $1B AI safety partnership with Anthropic. Accenture will embed a team to evaluate AI model safeguards. Both firms will invest at least $1B over five years. Accenture's Faculty, a U.K.-based AI safety firm, will be involved. The partnership was announced ahead of Accenture's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report on Oct 1.