Publicis Sapient and Tquila launch AI joint-venture
Digital consultancy Publicis Sapient has announced a new joint venture with technology venture firm Tquila. The PS Hummingbird operation will help clients advance their AI and cloud-based capabilities with the Microsoft Azure platform.
Publicis Sapient is a strategic global Microsoft cloud solutions partner, with multiple advanced specialisations in AI, machine learning and app migration. For more than a decade, this has seen Publicis Sapient combine digital business strategy, customer experience, marketing modernisation and data and AI expertise with Microsoft's cloud and enterprise solutions to generate value for clients across industries.
Now, Publicis Sapient is putting that extensive expertise to work on a new joint venture: PS Hummingbird. Founded in collaboration with Tquila – which invests in companies from start-up through to post-series A, either as stand-alone entities or with co-investment from consulting firms and software companies – PS Hummingbird will offer end-to-end services, through strategy and planning, user experience and process design, data analysis, implementation, testing, training and ongoing support. This will enable organisations to get their enterprise data ready for generative AI, and create bespoke solutions that use Azure Open AI Service.
"We are very excited about the launch of PS Hummingbird, which will allow us to continue to deliver innovative cloud and AI solutions to our clients across our SPEED – Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering and Data & AI – capabilities and help them achieve an operational competitive advantage. This joint venture combines our AI expertise with Tquila's capabilities to bring increased value to our clients,” said Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient. “PS Hummingbird will enable us to harness the power of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, along with the transformative potential of generative AI, and strengthen our position as a trusted partner to our clients in their digital business transformation journey."
Publicis Sapient has a long history of helping blue-chip clients, including Goldman Sachs, Walmart, Marriott and Nissan, to get the most from digital transformations. By investing along with Tquila, it hopes to tap into a new area of the booming digital consulting market – with Microsoft Dynamics 365 services standing as the fastest-growing Microsoft Cloud technology stack – projected to grow by 45% until 2025 and expected to generate an estimated $100 billion in consulting services.
According to a release from Publicis Sapient, the potential in this market is immense, yet “the lack of technical expertise often hampers progress”. The firm added that PS Hummingbird could help bridge this gap, “providing expert services directly to its clients and supporting Publicis Sapient's existing customer base.”
Speaking on the project, James McHugh, chair of Tquila, added, "This is now the fourth Build Operate Transfer we’ve partnered with Publicis Sapient on and we’re excited to embark on this journey. PS Hummingbird is the most ambitious project to date. The Tquila team is committed to working with all stakeholders to attract and develop the best talent in the market so, together, we build a market-leading, best-in-class generative AI business.”
It is the latest in a series of investments into AI from Publicis Sapient. Earlier in 2023, it also purchased a full stake in an AI Lab it partnered to establish – while seeking to bolster its digital business transformation services. Publicis Sapient AI Labs – an AI research and development joint venture – was also launched in partnership with Tquila, and Elder Research, back in 2020.
