D-Wave Quantum falls nearly 3% as earnings miss overshadows revenue beat
NEW YORK & SAN FRANCISCO - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has announced a strategic investment in OPAQUE, a company specializing in confidential artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This move, facilitated through Accenture Ventures, aims to enhance the security and privacy of AI operations in cloud computing environments.
OPAQUE’s platform allows organizations to execute AI workloads on encrypted data at cloud scale, with a strong emphasis on privacy, sovereignty, and compliance. This technology is poised to address a critical challenge in the AI industry, as a recent Accenture survey revealed that 48% of business leaders see a lack of high-quality data as a barrier to implementing generative AI initiatives. With annual revenues of $66.36 billion and a strong return on equity of 27%, Accenture demonstrates the financial strength to make strategic investments in emerging technologies.
Accenture plans to integrate OPAQUE’s platform into its AI Refinery and Trusted Data Services, enabling enterprises to scale AI innovations confidently while maintaining compliance and security. The collaboration is expected to facilitate the use of sensitive data in AI-driven insights, supporting advancements in customer intelligence, autonomous decision-making, and operational efficiency.
Teresa Tung, Accenture’s global lead of Data Capability, emphasized the importance of privacy in AI, stating that OPAQUE’s platform helps deploy AI agents in confidential environments without compromising data integrity. Aaron Fulkerson, CEO of OPAQUE, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the platform’s ability to accelerate enterprise AI deployments securely.
Tom Lounibos, global lead at Accenture Ventures, expressed that the investment aligns with Accenture’s vision for responsible innovation, underscoring the significance of privacy and trust in the future of AI.
In addition to the investment, OPAQUE will join Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight, an accelerator program designed to connect startups with Accenture’s expertise and client network.
While the terms of the investment were not disclosed, this partnership marks a significant step in Accenture’s strategy to empower businesses to leverage the full potential of data without sacrificing privacy. Based on InvestingPro analysis, Accenture is currently trading slightly below its Fair Value, with 12 additional ProTips available to subscribers. For comprehensive insights into Accenture’s financial health and future prospects, investors can access the detailed Pro Research Report, part of InvestingPro’s coverage of 1,400+ top US stocks.
This article is based on a press release statement.
In other recent news, Accenture has announced its strategic acquisition of Soben, a construction consultancy services provider, to enhance its capabilities in capital projects, particularly in the data center sector. This move aims to bolster Accenture’s project management offerings across various industries, including pharmaceuticals and energy. In another development, Accenture has made a significant investment in Aaru, a company specializing in AI-powered predictive technology, to improve customer experiences and expedite business decision-making. This partnership will integrate Aaru’s Lumen model into Accenture Song’s suite of AI products, enhancing innovation in product development and customer strategy.
Furthermore, Accenture has teamed up with CrowdStrike to enhance cybersecurity operations by combining their security services with CrowdStrike’s Falcon® platform. This collaboration is intended to streamline security workflows and improve threat detection and response capabilities. On the financial front, Goldman Sachs has reiterated its Buy rating for Accenture, maintaining a $430 price target, despite concerns about macroeconomic risks. Meanwhile, Stifel has adjusted its price target for Accenture to $380, down from $390, while still maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting cautious optimism regarding the company’s revenue growth prospects in fiscal year 2025. These recent developments highlight Accenture’s ongoing efforts to expand its service offerings and strengthen its market position.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.