Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Accenture is considering selling its China business for up to $1.5 billion, with JPMorgan helping the IT consulting firm assess its options, according to a Financial Times report published on Sunday. The company has hired JPMorgan to conduct a strategic review of its Chinese operations after receiving unsolicited interest from potential buyers over the past year, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
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The move could put Accenture’s China business on the market, although a sale has not been confirmed. The process is expected to attract interest from private equity firms and a limited number of strategic buyers, according to the report. Accenture may also retain a significant minority stake in the business as part of a potential deal, the FT reported. This would allow the company to sell a substantial portion of its operations while keeping some ownership.
Accenture’s Greater China operations cover mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to the company’s website. The potential sale would therefore involve a business spanning multiple markets in the region.
The strategic review comes as Accenture continues to focus on its business outlook. The consulting firm expects its revenue to grow by 3 to 6 per cent in the 2027 financial year, a forecast that is higher than analysts had anticipated.
Accenture limits employee AI spending
Just a few days back, it was reported that Accenture is tightening access to Anthropic’s Claude AI, requiring employees who need more than their monthly allowance to identify a project that will pay for the additional usage.
According to a report by 404 Media, the company introduced a $29 (around Rs 2,700) monthly limit per employee for Claude Enterprise from October 1. Some employees were previously on Premium plans that included $250 in weekly token usage, while others reportedly consumed more than $1,000 worth of AI tokens every month.
Under the revised policy, employees seeking additional access must submit a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) identifying the project or team that will fund the extra cost. However, submitting the document and obtaining a licence does not guarantee continued access, as Accenture can reassign licences based on business needs.
The spending limits come even as Accenture expands its AI capabilities. The company has increased its AI and data workforce from 40,000 to nearly 110,000 employees. CEO Julie Sweet recently said the company was absorbing efficiencies generated by AI.
Last year, Accenture laid off around 11,000 employees whom it believed could not be reskilled for AI-related work. The company spent $2 billion on severance packages over the past three years.
Other companies are also controlling AI expenses. Uber introduced a $1,500 monthly cap per employee for each AI coding tool after exhausting its annual AI budget within four months of 2026. Microsoft and Meta have reportedly restricted internal access to Claude Code.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
