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Accenture and Avanade partner with Microsoft on agentic factory solution

Quantum Computing UK (Tech Monitor)
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Accenture and Avanade have partnered with Microsoft to develop an AI-driven "agentic factory" system aimed at reducing manufacturing downtime, with a 2026 public release planned. The system uses autonomous AI agents to monitor equipment, diagnose issues, and guide operators through troubleshooting—leveraging real-time production data, machine history, and operational context to suggest corrective actions. Built on Microsoft Azure, Fabric, Foundry, and Copilot, the solution integrates structured and unstructured data (sensors, manuals, maintenance logs) to deliver role-specific guidance via conversational interfaces at workstations. Early adopters Kruger and Nissha Metallizing Solutions are piloting the tool, providing feedback to refine scalability before broader deployment under a subscription-based model. The collaboration will showcase the technology at Hannover Messe 2026, highlighting AI-human integration to boost factory safety, productivity, and decision-making across industrial sites.
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Accenture and Avanade partner with Microsoft on agentic factory solution

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Share Copy Link Share on X Share on Linkedin Share on Facebook The agentic factory solution leverages Microsoft technologies including Azure, Fabric, Foundry, and Copilot. Credit: Koupei Studio/Shutterstock.com. Accenture and Avanade have partnered with Microsoft to create an agentic factory intelligence system designed to address manufacturing downtime, with plans to make the product widely available in 2026. Early implementation is underway at Kruger and Nissha Metallizing Solutions, where manufacturers are testing the system to evaluate its performance and assess its impact on operations. The intelligence system uses AI agents to support factory operators by checking equipment status, identifying problems, and guiding users through troubleshooting procedures when production lines do not perform as expected. It evaluates operational context, machine history, and production data before suggesting potential problems and recommending actions. If further assistance is required, the system can help generate maintenance requests or initiate orders for spare parts. The agentic factory leverages Microsoft technologies including Azure, Fabric, Foundry, and Copilot. Companies can access it through a subscription model, allowing them to expand usage as the value becomes evident. The system operates on the Accenture and Avanade Factory Agents and Analytics platform. It gathers data from sources such as manufacturing execution systems, machine and sensor telemetry, control systems and maintenance records, as well as unstructured materials like manuals and process documentation.

Using Microsoft Fabric as its data infrastructure and Foundry to analyse information, the AI agents provide guidance suited to different roles via conversational interfaces at the point of work. At present, Kruger and Nissha Metallizing Solutions are assessing the tool in their production settings to inform ongoing development and contribute feedback for potential scaling. Microsoft manufacturing and mobility industry corporate vice president Dayan Rodriguez said: “Agentic AI is the next step for manufacturers like Kruger and Nissha Metallizing Solutions to turn data into outcomes. “By bringing together Microsoft’s AI, Accenture and Avanade’s manufacturing expertise, and client validation, we’re building factory agents and analytics that help teams work smarter and make better decisions.” Accenture, Avanade, and Microsoft plan to present the product at Hannover Messe in 2026. Their collaboration represents a broader effort to integrate AI agents and human teams within manufacturing environments to improve safety, productivity, and consistency across factory sites. Sign up for our regular news round-up! Give your business an edge with our leading Tech Monitor Sign up News ServiceNow completes $7.75bn Armis deal to boost cyber visibility News Amazon commits up to $25bn investment in Anthropic Comment Gaming’s real rival in 2026 isn’t TV, it’s TikTok News EC selects four cloud vendors to enhance EU digital sovereignty

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Source: Quantum Computing UK (Tech Monitor)