Digital
Unilever and Accenture collaborate on next generation AI
Mumbai: Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is joining forces with Unilever, the consumer goods multinational —whose 400+ brands are used by 3.4 billion people every day— as part of a strategic initiative to leverage Unilever’s AI research and implementation of technologies that enhance productivity, drive efficiencies, and accelerate disruptive and AI-powered innovations at scale.
The work will kick-off from Unilever’s global AI Lab “Horizon3 Labs”, recently opened in Toronto — a city recognized for its concentration of AI expertise and home to one of Accenture’s six Gen AI studios in North America.
The two companies will explore new applications to scale generative AI; for example, assets from Accenture’s AI Navigator or its proprietary “switchboard,” which allows a user to select a combination of models to address the unique business context.
“This collaboration builds on our relationship of more than three decades with Unilever, which continues to raise the bar as a digital powerhouse and industry leader,” said Accenture CEO & chair Julie Sweet. “The combination of Horizon3Labs’ disruptive innovation with Accenture’s deep expertise and strong ecosystem partnerships will help Unilever scale AI and generative AI more rapidly and responsibly across its business and discover new pathways to value.”
“We are excited about building on our long-standing partnership with Accenture to step up our innovation agenda and drive value for our consumers, retailers, and distributors. Horizon3 Labs is a unique platform for collaboration and co-creation, and we look forward to working with Accenture and other partners to take our investment in AI to a new level,” said Unilever chief enterprise & technology officer Steve McCrystal.
This initiative will leverage the industry solutions and accelerators within Accenture’s previously announced $3 billion investment in data and AI. As part of these efforts, Accenture will connect Unilever with its top data and AI experts, and help capitalize on Accenture’s ecosystem partnerships, ventures, and strategic investments within its Center for Advanced AI, which includes more than 1,450 pending and issued patents in Accenture’s AI solutions and learnings from more than 300 generative AI projects.
Digital
TCS launches Workspace Experience Studio with Zscaler
New AI-powered solution targets $160Bn digital workspace market by 2030.
MUMBAI: TCS just turned the office into a workspace wonderland because when Zero Trust meets AI, even Monday mornings start feeling productive. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has launched TCS Workspace Experience Studio, engineered with Zscaler Digital Experience (ZDX), to deliver seamless, resilient, and proactive digital workspaces for global enterprises. The solution integrates Zero Trust security, advanced observability, and AI-powered experience analytics, shifting from traditional Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) that prioritise user productivity and satisfaction.
The platform taps into the rapidly expanding digital workspace market, projected to surpass $160 billion by 2030, with an addressable opportunity exceeding $8 billion in the next five years. Powered by Zscaler OneAPI for integration and automation, it adds Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM), workplace observability, and enhanced cybersecurity capabilities to TCS’s Human-Centric AI portfolio.
Key features include auto-healing and auto-remediation to detect and fix issues across systems, applications, and infrastructure reducing downtime and manual intervention. The User Persona feature uses ZDX data for personalised insights and recommendations, easing user friction and boosting efficiency.
TCS has deployed the solution for a leading Scottish multinational engineering company, where it is projected to deliver a 25–30 per cent boost in user productivity and significantly improve digital experience.
Zscaler, SVP of global partner for ecosystems Anthony Torsiello said, “Together, we are empowering organisations to achieve tangible business results by delivering smarter, more resilient digital environments that enhance productivity, improve user experiences, and drive operational success.”
TCS global head of ITIS offerings & engineering for cloud unit Murali Menon added, “CIOs are prioritising AI infusion to transform workspace experiences, fostering greater collaboration and accelerating innovation. Our strategic partnership with Zscaler delivers enhanced user experiences and optimised application performance across diverse environments.”
In an era where hybrid work is the norm and downtime is the enemy, TCS and Zscaler aren’t just building better offices, they’re crafting digital spaces where employees actually want to log in, one intelligent fix at a time.
