Microsoft hired to build Publicis Groupe’s AI platform Marcel
Five months ahead of its official launch, Publicis Groupe has appointed Microsoft to to build its much-anticipated AI platform Marcel.
The group’s consultancy arm Publicis.Sapient will design the global ‘professional assistant’, while Microsoft will build the platform itself, it was revealed in an internal memo by CEO Arthur Sadoun.
Due to be revealed at Viva Tech in May, Marcel is intended to connect all 80,000 of Publicis’ employees for the purpose of universal access to information.
Last year, the holding company announced a one-year hiatus from all award shows and marketing events in order to pool its resources into the project.
Now with just months to go, Sadoun sent employees the following memo: “So, we have a robust definition of what Marcel is and a great partner to build it with. Now we just need all of you. Marcel is a platform, and a platform is nothing more than a stage for people to act on. That’s why in the near future, we will start taking more and more initiatives to test and prototype ideas,” Sadoun said.
“I would like to leave you with a more personal thought. I am often asked why we decided to create Marcel. After all, no one forced us to and it is a complicated and even risky initiative. My response is always the same: we created Marcel because we believe that people no longer just work for companies. Companies need to work for their people.”
Following the leak, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella commented: “AI is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, but its real power lies in how it can be applied to amplify human ingenuity.
“And that’s the beauty of Marcel. At Microsoft, we believe that people no longer just work for companies – companies need to work for their people. Marcel embodies that belief. That’s what makes this collaboration so seamless and natural.”
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topics
ai
Arthur Sadoun
artificial intelligence
Marcel
Microsoft
Publicis
Publicis Groupe
Satya Nadella
Why wouldn’t Sapient build it?!? Kinda what they were acquired for, right??
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So we need artificial intelligence to share intelligence. Brilliant.
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Let me get this straight.
One of the largest digital consultancies in the world, who claims to know and be able to deliver on AI for banks and more, can’t build the platform internally themselves.
Marcel could have been Publicis’ Watson moment.
Instead, it just shows how Publicis.Sapient is clearly lacking in teeth when it comes to anything other than a website.
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I think some of these comments are made by people who haven’t done their homework. To answer all the 3 of the previous points.
Sapient delivered AI solutions by partnering with AI tech providers. They even site working with Microsoft on their website if anyone bothered to look.
Being able to identify the actual need and match it with the best solution, is pretty much what consultancy is, and I don’t think Publicis or Sapient ever claimed to do much more than that within their tech consultancy divisions.
And yes, you need AI to share intelligence. Unless you can remember the name, skills set, history and acquaintances for 80,000 different people.
It honestly does seem like some people comment on these articles to try and sound witty or clever without realising they’re doing quite the opposite.
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