Accenture is beefing up its AI practice with the acquisition of Japanese data science company, Albert. The purchase price was not disclosed.

The deal, which closed this week, will add Albert’s 250 data scientists to Accenture’s team, enabling the consulting firm to offer more robust data and AI capabilities to clients.

Albert is the latest in a string of Accenture acquisitions in data and AI since 2019, including Analytics8 in Australia; Sentelis in France; Bridgei2i and Byte Prophecy in India; Pragsis Bidoop in Spain; Mudano in the U.K.; and Clarity Insights, End-to-End Analytics and Core Compete in the U.S.

Founded in 2005, Albert offers AI and big data analytics services, AI implementation consulting, and data science training support to major corporations in Japan. They will join Accenture’s Applied Intelligence practice.

Albert will “strengthen Accenture’s ability globally to help its clients manage the total reinvention of their enterprises, which most successful companies will undergo in the next decade,” Accenture said.

The acquisition will bolster Accenture’s services in Japan to help companies become more competitive with deep analytics and AI expertise. Accenture said it recently launched several data-drive management solutions in Japan, including forecasting business scenarios, supporting clients’ ESG goals, among others.

"Companies today need a 360-degree view of their business to make better and faster decisions. They must look beyond the financials and include, for example, sustainability initiatives, customer experiences, and people development and retraining,” said Atsushi Egawa, who leads Accenture’s business in Japan, in a statement.

“Gaining this holistic perspective and being able to simulate every aspect of the business requires deep data science expertise and AI capabilities,” Egawa added.