Accenture has announced a sweeping restructuring program, laying off 11,000 employees between May and August 2025, with more cuts likely. The $865 million plan is aimed at repositioning the company toward high-demand digital and AI services.
The layoffs reduced Accenture’s global headcount from 791,000 to 779,000. Leadership emphasized the move is not simply cost-cutting but part of a larger strategic pivot. Savings from severance and select divestitures will be reinvested in workforce training and operational efficiency.
The company has already booked $615 million in restructuring charges for Q4 and expects an additional $250 million in the next quarter. This comes as Accenture faces weaker corporate consulting demand and reduced U.S. federal spending.
Financially, the firm beat expectations with Q4 revenue of $17.6 billion, though it guided lower full-year revenue growth of 2–5% for FY2026. New bookings reached $21.3 billion, including $5.1 billion tied directly to AI services.
The restructuring reflects a clear shift in priorities. Roles with limited relevance in the AI era are at risk, with management signaling an “exit or retrain” approach. So far, around 77,000 employees have been upskilled in AI and data capabilities.
CEO Julie Sweet noted that Trump’s newly imposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee would have limited impact, as such workers represent just 5% of Accenture’s U.S. workforce.
For clients, the shift means fewer labor-heavy projects and more AI-first solutions leveraging automation, data, and cloud.
This marks the second major workforce realignment in recent years, following 19,000 layoffs in 2023, underscoring Accenture’s aggressive pivot to AI-driven consulting.
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