Currys has partnered with Microsoft and Accenture to build its cloud technology infrastructure to enable the electronics retailer to speed up the adoption of generative AI (genAI).

Accenture, Microsoft and their joint venture Avanade will work with Currys to modernise its technology and allow it to roll out Microsoft AI technologies such as Azure OpenAI Service.

The move is expected to provide personalised product information for customers, while employees are set to have easier access to info about everything from delivery costs to product availability.

AI technology will also be integrated into other areas of the business, including marketing, HR and finance.

Alex Baldock, group chief executive at Currys plc, described AI is one of the biggest “technological leaps” in his lifetime, adding that the new partnership would put the company at the “forefront of digital transformation in retail”.

“Currys exists to help everyone enjoy amazing technology, so as well as bringing the benefits of AI to millions of customers, we’ll do the same to our own business,” he continued.

Microsoft says the new technology will also accelerate Currys’ journey to net zero emissions by 2040 by moving nine existing data centres with more than 2000 servers and 200 applications onto Azure to create a more energy-efficient infrastructure.

The partnership comes a month after Currys announced that it had hired Chris Holyland as its new digital and omnichannel director.

He previously worked as digital director at Pets at Home where he led a £30 million digital and data transformation initiative.

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