Foresight Notes

Steel's next R&D advantage
How materials informatics can accelerate the development of special grades

Contributors: Mithilesh Kumar, Dhiraj Kumar Pandey, Manish Kumar and Sunny Sankit
Published: September 2026​

The energy transition is placing new demands on steel, as emerging applications call for grades with different performance and sustainability characteristics. Steel R&D, however, still relies heavily on slow, trial-based development cycles that can leave new grades lagging behind customer needs. To keep pace, steelmakers should explore materials informatics, which uses data science and AI to learn from decades of experimental knowledge and develop new grades faster.

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Steel's next R&D advantage

The energy transition is placing new demands on steel, as emerging applications call for grades with different performance and sustainability...

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The proof problem with synthetic media
Why companies must fix how they verify content

Contributors: Shubhashis Sengupta, Ben McCarty, Milind Savagaonkar and Rhine Andotra
Published: May 2026​

The spread of generative and other types of AI makes it easier to impersonate people and fabricate convincing content. As a result, companies will increasingly be asked to show where synthetic media comes from and who approved it. Organizations that respond with clear records will resolve questions about authenticity faster and be less likely to act on false or manipulated information.

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The proof problem with synthetic media

The spread of generative and other types of AI makes it easier to impersonate people and fabricate convincing content. As a result, companies will increasingly...

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The new third layer of connectivity
What high-altitude platforms mean for visibility and decisions as operations move by land, sea and air

Contributors: Sankar Subramaniam, Amal Sebastian and Aditi Abhijeet
Published: May 2026

A high share of business operations take place in transit, where traditional networks provide only intermittent visibility. High-altitude platforms (HAPs) promise a way to maintain continuous coverage across routes, changing how quickly companies can monitor and respond to what’s happening. Companies that identify where visibility matters most for them can begin to test and apply HAPs selectively to improve their operations as the technology scales.

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The new third layer of connectivity

A high share of business operations take place in transit, where traditional networks provide only intermittent visibility. High-altitude platforms (HAPs) promise...

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Decarbonizing chemicals at the source.
What it will take to move beyond fossil feedstocks

Authors: Dr. Karin Walczyk, Sachin Kumar Chaudhary, Mithilesh Kumar
Published: April 2026

The chemicals industry is often described as essential to modern life—and with good reason. Its materials sit inside packaging, construction materials, vehicles, electronics, fertilizers and
pharmaceuticals. Yet the industry still relies heavily on raw materials derived from oil and gas and contributes significantly to global emissions.

In this Foresight Note, we draw on our patent analysis and publicly available market data to examine where alternative feedstock options stand today. We calculate how much plastic waste can be converted into usable feedstock, as well as how wide the cost gap remains compared with oil and gas. We also explain why hydrogen pricing matters for CCU and how digital systems can improve plant and materials performance. And we close with five actions that chemical producers should consider.

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Decarbonizing chemicals at the source.

The chemicals industry is often described as essential to modern life—and with good reason. Its materials sit inside packaging, construction materials, vehicles, electronics...

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Making blockchain work in mining
Why traceability is the next strategic edge

Authors: Dhiraj Kumar Pandey, Reshu Rathi
Published: April 2026

Mining companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate where their materials come from and how they’re handled as they move through global supply chains. Blockchain can help companies provide that proof by creating shared records that follow minerals from extraction to end use and reduce reliance on fragmented reporting systems. But for blockchain to deliver on its promise, mining companies will need to connect the technology to legacy systems, expand its use gradually, manage energy demands and address legal and data challenges.

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Making blockchain work in mining

Mining companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate where their materials come from and how they’re handled as they move through global supply chains. Blockchain...

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Competing in the age of brain-computer interfaces
How to harness new human capabilities in a multipolar world

Authors: Pradeep Roy, Shachi Jain

Published: March 2026

Brain–computer interfaces are moving from clinical trials into commercial markets. As the United States and China advance competing models of innovation in this transformative technology, the rules around standards, regulation and governance are still being written. Companies that move now will be better positioned to thrive as this new layer of computing takes shape.

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Competing in the age of brain-computer interfaces

Brain–computer interfaces are moving from clinical trials into commercial markets. As the United States and China advance competing ...

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Why the CIO must lead reinvention in the age of AI
Transformation succeeds when a technology leader redesigns the enterprise

Authors: Tony Leraris, Steve Courtney, Surya Mukherjee
Published: March 2026

Every era of business reinvention has followed a familiar arc: a disruptive new technology appears, executives rally around the opportunities and innovation flourishes. That story has held true across decades—through computing, cloud and, now, artificial intelligence. But as the capabilities of generative AI surge ahead, a quiet but fundamental shift is underway.

This time, the center of gravity is not just the technology itself, but the leaders orchestrating its adoption. At the center of this shift stands the Chief Information Officer. We spoke with 20 senior technology leaders—from CIOs to transformation leads—at some of the world’s most ambitious and complex enterprises. We also compared notes with Accenture’s own CIO organization. What we discovered surprised us.

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Why the CIO must lead reinvention in the age of AI

Every era of business reinvention has followed a familiar arc: a disruptive new technology appears, executives rally around the opportunities...

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The new shape of corporate growth
How regions and industries are diverging—and who’s pulling ahead

Authors: Himanshu Patney, Francis Hintermann
Published: February 2025

Corporate growth is returning, but many companies are still expanding without creating meaningful value. Our analysis shows that performance varies widely across regions, industries and company size. Amid these differences, a small group of “outperformers” shows what it takes to turn growth into real value.

Our analysis was supported by a proprietary AI agent, developed by Accenture Research, that continuously monitors the financial performance of more than 6,000 companies worldwide; in 2024, each of these companies had revenues of over $500 million. We used the Capital Asset Pricing Model to calculate the industry-specific weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Our valuation analysis split enterprise value into two components: 1) current
value, which reflects the perpetuity value of current operations; and 2) future value, which captures the market expectations embedded in current enterprise value.

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The new shape of corporate growth

Corporate growth is returning, but many companies are still expanding without creating meaningful value. Our analysis shows that performance varies widely...

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Enterprise security is being rewritten by AI and quantum
Here’s how leaders can strengthen their organization’s defenses

Authors: Yusof Seedat, Shachi Jain
Published: January 2026

AI is altering how enterprise security works, while advances in quantum computing threaten the long-term viability of current cryptography. Because these changes are unfolding faster than most executives realize, many organizations underestimate the risks they face and are not yet prepared to manage them. Our research shows that leaders should prioritize four steps to keep their companies safe—and thriving—in the coming years.

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Enterprise security is being rewritten by AI and quantum

AI is altering how enterprise security works, while advances in quantum computing threaten the long-term viability of current cryptography...

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AI meets quantum
The compute ceiling no one sees

Authors: Laura G. Converso, H. James Wilson,
Dr. Shubhashis Sengupta
Published: August 2025

Executives are investing heavily in AI while gradually preparing
for quantum, but the real breakthrough will come from fusing
both technologies into hybrid systems. As AI models hit
compute limits, especially in areas like molecule simulation
where delays can cost up to $1 million per day, organizations
face growing inefficiencies and diminishing returns. The
resolution lies in adopting quantum-AI hybrid architectures that
blend classical, GPU and quantum processors, cutting time-tosolution by up to 20x in early-stage trials. The report
recommends building hybrid fluency, launching pilots in
high-complexity areas and forming partnerships to unlock
competitive advantage from this convergence.

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AI meets quantum

Executives are investing heavily in AI while gradually preparing
for quantum, but the real breakthrough will come from fusing both technologies into hybrid systems...

more

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Artificial general intelligence
A shift in systems, not just a leap in capability

Authors: H. James Wilson, Shubhashis Sengupta, Shruti Shalini
Published: July 2025

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) represents a shift in how
strategic decisions are made, as AI systems grow more
capable of reasoning, adapting and acting with minimal
oversight. The complication is that as these systems become
more autonomous, traditional governance, regulation and
accountability models begin to break down. This Foresight Note
calls for anticipatory governance and redesigned operational
models that embed flexibility, ethics and control into AI
adoption strategies. With AGI projected to add $7 trillion to
global GDP and raise productivity growth by 1.5 percentage
points, clients must prepare for judgment at scale by rethinking
leadership, workforce design and technology governance.

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Artificial general intelligence

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) represents a shift in how
strategic decisions are made, as AI systems grow more
capable of reasoning, adapting and...

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Scaling clean hydrogen for the green industrial transitionion

Authors: Dominic King and Dibyajyoti Dash
Published: July 2025

Clean hydrogen plays a critical role in decarbonizing heavy
industry and large-scale transport by offering a zero-emission
alternative in sectors where few exist. High costs, limited
infrastructure and stalled projects continue to hold back its
potential. Falling production costs, emerging technologies and
stronger policy support now offer a clear path to scale. Global
hydrogen demand reached 97 million tons in 2023, but clean
hydrogen made up only 0.7 million tons. Leaders need to act
now to shape standards, pricing and infrastructure that can
move clean hydrogen from pilot to global commercial viability.

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Scaling clean hydrogen for the green industrial transitionion

Clean hydrogen plays a critical role in decarbonizing heavy
industry and large-scale transport by offering a zero-emission...

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Call me Alex
How to build loyalty with customers and AI in the agent economy

Authors: Joshua B. Bellin, H. James Wilson
Published: June 2025

AI-powered Personal Autonomous Agents (PAAs) now research,
negotiate and make decisions on behalf of consumers. As
customers increasingly rely on their own agents, brands have
new opportunities to engage through both emotional and
algorithmic resonance. Leading companies build transparency,
optimize for AI preferences, measure trustworthiness and
design systems that interact seamlessly with PAAs. By creating
adaptive front offices that shift intelligently between human
and agent interactions, businesses can enhance relevance and
responsiveness. In this evolving agent economy, those who
embrace collaboration with PAAs can deliver smarter, faster
and more personalized experiences, shaping a new standard
for customer relationships.

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Call me Alex

AI-powered Personal Autonomous Agents (PAAs) now research, negotiate and make decisions on behalf of consumers....

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Urban mining
How digital technologies can unlock trapped value in the circular economy

Authors: Dominic King, Dominique Lewis
Published: June 2025

As demand for critical minerals surges, urban mining offers a
powerful way to recover valuable materials from e-waste and
infrastructure. Yet technical barriers, economic inefficiencies
and low consumer engagement have stalled circular business
models. The report shows how digital technologies—like AI,
digital twins and blockchain—can overcome these challenges
by improving collection, disassembly and traceability. Recycling
could reduce demand for new copper, cobalt and lithium by
25–40% and cut mine development costs by 30% by 2050.

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Urban mining

As demand for critical minerals surges, urban mining offers a
powerful way to recover valuable materials from e-waste and
infrastructure...

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Fit for purpose
Why the best AI model isn’t always the biggest

Authors: Steve Courtney, Matthew Lagodzinski, Luis Polanco, Surya Mukherjee, Amal Sebastian
Published: May 2025

The AI future won’t be won by scale alone. Small language
models (SLMs) are emerging as lean, efficient alternatives to
massive LLMs, costing less, running faster and fitting into
constrained, real-world environments. Purpose-built for speed,
privacy and precision, SLMs are enabling new enterprise use
cases from edge computing to regulated workflows. Adoption
is accelerating as companies prioritize control and context
over generality. With players like Mistral, Phi and LLaMA
advancing rapidly, the AI center of gravity is shifting. Business
leaders must rethink their model strategy deploying the
right-sized AI where it drives the most value.

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Fit for purpose

The AI future won’t be won by scale alone. Small language
models (SLMs) are emerging as lean, efficient alternatives to
massive LLMs, costing less, running...

more

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Globalization in transition
Creating business value in a fragmented world

Authors: Svenja Falk, Giju Mathew
Published: March 2025

What happens when globalization breaks apart? This Foresight
Note unpacks the strategic response to a splintered world.
As trade barriers rise and technology regulation fragments,
companies must evolve from global to multi-local. From the
EV sector to smart factories, geopolitical risk is reshaping
supply chains, technology stacks and talent strategies.
The most resilient firms are decentralizing value networks,
redesigning regional technology architectures and using
AI to simulate geopolitical scenarios. The call to action is
clear: fragmentation is not a detour—it’s the terrain. Adapt,
localize, lead.

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Globalization in transition

What happens when globalization breaks apart? This Foresight
Note unpacks the strategic response to a splintered world.
As trade...

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Toward a greener future
What patent filings reveal about
chemical companies’ sustainableinnovation efforts

Authors: Karin Walczyk, Sachin Kumar Chaudhary
Published: March 2025

Are chemical companies moving fast enough to lead on
sustainability—or are they at risk of falling behind demand?
This Foresight Note reveals the answer hidden in 10 years of
patent filings. Innovation is growing in CO2 capture, recycling and bio-based materials, but progress is uneven across the value chain. Digital technology is the wild card, set to redefine R&D with AI-driven chemistry. Read on for a data-backed look at where chemical firms are innovating—and where they must act now to unlock value, reduce risk and meet accelerating
demand for green alternatives.

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Toward a greener future

Are chemical companies moving fast enough to lead on
sustainability—or are they at risk of falling behind demand?
This Foresight Note reveals the answer...

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Wonderous wafers
How wafer-scale integration will transform the semiconductor industry

Authors: Pradeep Roy, Prashant Shukla, Avimanyu Basu
Published: February 2025

Wafer-scale integration (WSI) shatters the chip paradigm by turning an entire wafer into one massive processor, promising huge leaps in AI performance

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Wonderous wafers

Wafer-scale integration (WSI) shatters the chip paradigm by turning an entire wafer into one massive...

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Synthetic sapiens
Exploring advances in humanoid robotics

Authors: Shruti Shalini, Lohith Kumar
Published: December 2024

Humanoid robots are no longer science fiction—they’re rolling
into boardrooms, hospitals and factory floors. This Foresight
Note unpacks how general-purpose humanoids are poised
to reshape industries strained by aging populations and
chronic labor shortages. From Tesla’s bold bets to AI-powered
caregivers, the report explores the convergence of robotics,
AI and falling hardware costs. But the hype comes with hurdles:
battery life, social acceptance and ethical design. Discover
why humanoids are more than machines with faces—and why
companies that act now could redefine what it means to be
a “human-centered” business in the automation age.

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Synthetic sapiens

Humanoid robots are no longer science fiction—they’re rolling
into boardrooms, hospitals and factory floors. This Foresight
Note unpacks how general-purpose...

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The rise of agentic solutions
How multi-agent systems will increase productivity, spark creativity and transform industries

Authors: Surya Mukherjee, Francis Hintermann
Published: November 2024

Forget single-use chatbots. This Foresight Note explores
the emerging power of agentic systems—swarms of gen AI
agents that collaborate, learn and autonomously solve
complex problems. The result? Radical productivity and
creativity gains across industries, from logistics to life
sciences. Real-world pilots show agents already negotiating
supplier contracts and optimizing customer service. But
adoption isn’t plug-and-play—leaders must navigate legacy
technology, cultural resistance and output reliability. Read
on to discover how to future-proof your business by investing
in agentic architecture and shaping human-AI collaboration
before your competitors do.

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The rise of agentic solutions

Forget single-use chatbots. This Foresight Note explores
the emerging power of agentic systems—swarms of gen AI
agents...

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Charting new waters
Unlocking the potential of oceans through the blue economy

Authors: Lohith Kumar, Shachi Jain
Published: February 2025

The ocean economy is already worth $1.5 trillion—and it’s just
getting started. This Foresight Note dives into how emerging
“blue tech” solutions are opening new frontiers in climate
resilience, energy and maritime security. From autonomous
underwater drones to blockchain-enabled sustainable fishing,
companies are turning ocean challenges into business
opportunities. But scaling the blue economy will require bold
public-private collaboration, standardized data systems and
smart funding models. For industries under pressure to grow
sustainably, the ocean may be the next strategic terrain. Now
is the moment to go deep—or risk staying stranded onshore.

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Charting new waters

The ocean economy is already worth $1.5 trillion—and it’s just
getting started. This Foresight Note dives into how emerging
“blue tech” ...

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The bio-industrial revolution
What the fusion of AI and synthetic biology means for business and the planet

Authors: Shalabh Kumar Singh, Giju Mathew
Published: February 2025

What if AI could design new materials, proteins or organisms
to replace resource-scarce inputs? The bio-industrial revolution
is here—and it’s not just for pharma. This Foresight Note
explores how AI and synthetic biology are merging to engineer
sustainable alternatives across industries—from synthetic
concrete to enzyme-powered cleaning products. The “discover,
design, decide” cycle is becoming the new R&D. But with
this power comes risk: ethical governance and cross-sector
collaboration are critical. For companies looking to future-proof
their supply chains and sustainability strategies, this is not just
a revolution. It’s an imperative.

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The bio-industrial revolution

What if AI could design new materials, proteins or organisms
to replace resource-scarce inputs? The bio-industrial revolution........

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