Accountants Fear AI Completely Wipes Out Smaller Firms
12 posts across 3 communities in the last 60 days; 83% from r/Accounting.
“AI only works if it has access to all the info to make the analysis: In audit the info is often obtained from a meeting with the client. I just don`t see it tbh. there would noed to be fully autonomous bots on both side communcating with one another and at that point we would…”
“You’ll be unhireable. People complained about calculators, computers and the internet when they came out too. [re: Do all accountants have to use AI or can I safely go into it knowing I won't have to use it?]”
“Desktop publishing... Which is also probably going in the toilet with the rise of GenAI [re: Any accountants have alternate jobs they dream of?]”
Multiple accountants express concern about the impact of artificial intelligence on smaller public accounting firms, with one post stating that AI has 'completely wiped them out.' This suggests a significant disruption and potential job losses within this sector.
SOURCES (13)
“You’ll be unhireable. People complained about calculators, computers and the internet when they came out too. [re: Do all accountants have to use AI or can I safely go into it knowing I won't have to use it?]”
“Desktop publishing... Which is also probably going in the toilet with the rise of GenAI [re: Any accountants have alternate jobs they dream of?]”
“Lol. Once again - say it louder that you don’t understand anything about how AI is being deployed by actual companies OR about accounting as it currently exists. It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“AI only works if it has access to all the info to make the analysis: In audit the info is often obtained from a meeting with the client. I just don`t see it tbh. there would noed to be fully autonomous bots on both side communcating with one another and at that point we would essentially just have businesses that are fully ran by ai indepently which i just cannot see”
“2 YOE. Glad I got into it.The future is in small firms. Big firms will outsource and AI. More and more people in all professions will be squeezed by corporate downsizing via AI. So more people will have side hustles and need tax advice. At least in the US, the government isn't simplifying the tax code anytime soon. It almost seems stupid not to start my own firm. Definitely one of the best industries to be a small business owner.”
“This applies to those of you in big 4 audit, tax and outside of it. How has AI changed your job? Do you fear being replaced completely? submitted by /u/masterchief6913 [link] [comments]”
“No, this is clearly not true of accountants! Using digital spreadsheets is not "skill erosion", it is the skill! That doesn't mean they don't still need to learn how to do the calculations that are encoded into the spreadsheets, of course that fundamental knowledge is still important. But running all those calculations by hand in the regular course of their work would be a giant waste of time.It does seem that there is a shortage of accountants, but this doesn't seem to have anything to do with”
“It sounds like outsourcing came over as a bigger shark and changed the composition of your job. I wonder if that’s also why the AI discussion feels so disconnected from reality for a lot of accountants, because most repetitive work has already been outsourced elsewhere; there’s less left for these AI tools to change in the first place.”
“AI gets a lot of attention when people talk about accounting jobs disappearing. But I'm curious about the people who have actually experienced work being moved elsewhere. Specifically, for those who've seen accounting work outsourced or offshore, has AI noticeably affected your job yet, compared with outsourcing? I'd be interested in actual workplace experiences rather than predictions about what will happen. submitted by /u/OliverJames99 [link] [comments]”
“If you have to be in office anyway maybe you could find a fulfilling use of your time. Writing a book, or learning to write code or a speak a new language? Since you're getting all your stuff done and are chained to the desk the best bet is finding something that looks vaguely work related that keeps your interest.”