Artificial intelligence is often discussed in sweeping terms. Automation, machine learning, generative tools and the promise of radical efficiency gains. In accounting, these conversations can sometimes feel detached from day-to-day practice, particularly for firms that are focused on compliance, deadlines and client relationships.
Yet AI is no longer a future trend for the profession. It is already changing how accounting work is done, how firms are structured and what clients expect in return for their fees.
From back-office tool to strategic shift
For many years, technology in accounting focused on digitisation rather than intelligence. Cloud software replaced spreadsheets, and automation reduced manual data entry. AI represents a different step change. Instead of simply speeding up existing processes, it has the potential to reshape the role of the accountant altogether.
According to the 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report from the Thomson Reuters Institute, 68 percent of tax and accounting professionals say they feel excited or hopeful about the future of generative AI in the industry. That optimism reflects a growing understanding that AI can free professionals from repetitive tasks and allow them to focus on higher-value advisory work.
At the same time, adoption is uneven. Around 21 percent of tax firms say they are already using generative AI tools, with a further 53 percent either planning to use them or actively considering it. A quarter of firms still have no current plans to adopt the technology, although that figure has fallen sharply compared with the previous year.
This mix of enthusiasm and caution is understandable. AI brings opportunities, but it also raises questions about skills, governance and responsibility.
“AI will not replace good accountants, but it will replace the parts of the job that keep good accountants from doing their best work,” accoridng to Brightx. “The winners will be the firms that use AI to create time for judgement, not just to cut costs.”
How the largest firms are using AI
The largest accounting firms have moved fastest, largely because they have the scale and resources to invest heavily in technology. Deloitte, EY, PwC and KPMG have all embedded AI into their workflows, particularly in audit, tax and advisory services.
Deloitte has developed generative and agent-based AI capabilities within its audit platforms. These tools can carry out initial reviews of audit documentation, highlight inconsistencies and suggest improvements in clarity. While human judgement remains central, AI reduces the time spent on first-pass review work.
EY has taken a platform-led approach, launching an AI system that integrates multiple internal tools across audit, tax, risk and transactions. The firm has also rolled out new AI capabilities to support more than 160,000 global audit engagements, signalling how central the technology has become to its delivery model.
PwC has focused strongly on internal productivity. Its in-house teams have built AI-driven applications that help employees synthesise data, review code and troubleshoot technical issues. PwC reports productivity gains of between 20 and 50 percent in certain development processes, and it expects to complete an end-to-end AI-driven audit solution by 2026.
KPMG has concentrated on governance and ethics, developing its Trusted AI framework to help clients design and deploy AI responsibly. This approach reflects growing awareness that how AI is used matters as much as whether it is used.
What AI looks like for smaller firms
AI adoption is not limited to the largest firms. Smaller and mid-sized practices are increasingly using AI to stay competitive and improve service delivery, even if their tools are less bespoke.
The most common use cases for smaller firms include tax research, document summarisation, bookkeeping automation and tax return preparation. AI-powered systems can extract data from financial documents, categorise expenses, reconcile accounts and identify anomalies far faster than manual processes allow.
Tax research is another area where AI is already making a practical difference. AI-enabled tools can return answers from curated, tax-specific content, helping professionals reach authoritative conclusions more quickly. In advisory work, predictive insights generated by AI are being used to model future tax implications and support more strategic conversations with clients.
Interestingly, many accountants are currently using general-purpose tools rather than industry-specific platforms. Over half of those already using generative AI rely on open tools such as ChatGPT, while fewer than one in five use dedicated accounting or tax products. That balance is likely to shift as more sector-specific AI tools mature.
Among firms actively using or planning to use generative AI, usage is frequent. Nearly half say they use it daily or multiple times a day, with a further 29 percent using it weekly. That level of integration suggests AI is becoming part of routine professional practice rather than an occasional experiment.
The risks of moving too fast or too slowly
While the benefits are clear, AI adoption also brings risks. Over-reliance on unverified outputs, poor data governance and lack of oversight can undermine trust and accuracy. In regulated professions such as accounting, mistakes carry real consequences.
Equally, firms that delay engagement altogether risk falling behind. Clients are becoming more aware of what AI-enabled firms can offer, particularly around speed, insight and cost efficiency. Firms that fail to evolve may struggle to justify traditional pricing models or turnaround times.
The challenge is not simply adopting AI, but adopting it responsibly. That means clear policies on usage, proper training, and an understanding that AI supports professional judgement rather than replacing it.
How AI is changing the role of the accountant
Perhaps the most significant impact of AI is cultural rather than technical. As automation takes over routine tasks, the value of accountants increasingly lies in interpretation, advice and communication.
AI can summarise documents, identify patterns and surface risks. What it cannot do is understand a client’s wider context, assess trade-offs in uncertain situations or build trust over time. Those remain human skills, and they are becoming more important, not less.
In this sense, AI is accelerating a shift that was already underway. Accountants are moving from record keepers to advisers, from processors to interpreters. Firms that recognise this shift are using AI as a lever to reshape their services, rather than simply to cut costs.
A profession at a turning point
Artificial intelligence is no longer a hypothetical development for accounting. It is already embedded in audits, tax research, bookkeeping and advisory work across firms of all sizes.
The firms that thrive will not necessarily be those with the most advanced technology, but those that approach AI with curiosity, discipline and a clear sense of purpose. Used well, AI can enhance accuracy, improve efficiency and create space for more meaningful client relationships.
Used poorly, it risks undermining trust and professional standards.
As with many changes in the profession, the technology itself is only part of the story. The real impact of AI will be shaped by how accountants choose to use it, govern it and explain its role to clients. That choice will define the next chapter of the profession.