Telstra and Accenture announced a proposed joint venture (JV) to rapidly accelerate Telstra?s data and AI roadmap to further extend its network leadership, improve customer experience, and help its teams operate more efficiently and effectively. Steered by joint global leadership, the JV would comprise specialists from Telstra and Accenture?s Data & AI teams to build on Telstra?s work creating a world-class data and AI ecosystem, modernising its data and AI platforms, and embedding responsible AI by design. As part of the JV, Telstra would benefit from Accenture?s $3 billion AI investment in assets, industry solutions, ventures, acquisitions, talent and ecosystem partnerships, with access to the latest innovation in AI technologies and AI teams in Silicon Valley.

A key focus of the JV would be to reinvent business processes through new capabilities like agentic AI, enabling teams to work with intelligent AI ecosystems to optimise key tasks end-to-end. The JV would also build specialised AI tools to support teams to work smarter and faster, helping build data and AI fluency across Telstra?s workforce, and fast-tracking the development of future-critical skills. The proposed seven-year JV is subject to consultation with Telstra?s employees and unions.

Telstra?s core Data & AI workforce, based in Australia and India, would receive an offer to join the JV. At the end of the seven-year term, JV employees would be offered a role at Telstra. The JV is expected to become more efficient and streamlined as the acceleration of Telstra?s data and AI roadmap is delivered.

As part of these changes, Telstra would consolidate vendor support from 18 data and AI providers and partners down to two JVs - Quantium Telstra and the proposed joint venture with Accenture. This would drive deeper strategic partnership, shared accountability, and enable further acceleration in data and AI. It follows Telstra?s Software Engineering & IT division consolidating its partners last year, which saw it move from more than 400 vendors to two strategic partners, streamlining operations, reducing complexity and delivering efficiencies.

The proposed JV would be 60% owned by Accenture and 40% Telstra, with Telstra retaining control over its data and AI strategy and roadmap, which the JV would help deliver.