How AI Is Transforming Accounting Teams (and What Skills Matter Now)
Last week, I attended an AI training hosted by NFP, and one line from the CTO stuck with me: “AI is as bad as it will ever be.” He’s right. The tools we’re experimenting with today are the worst versions we’ll ever see. Large language models and automation platforms are improving at a pace that’s hard to wrap your head around — and accounting teams are feeling that shift more than most.
We talk about AI constantly, yet very few leaders have a clear picture of what its actual impact will be. Every accounting department is being pitched a new “transformative” tool every week, each promising to automate the close, eliminate manual work, or reinvent FP&A. Sorting out what’s real from what’s noise is becoming a job in itself.
The truth is: we’re still a long way from full AI integration, but meaningful, practical use cases are already here — and they’re reshaping the work accountants do every day.
Where AI Is Already Showing Up in Accounting
According to the Journal of Accountancy, several AI applications are no longer theoretical; they’re being used right now:
Mail Automation: AI tools can scan, classify, and route physical mail, turning paper workflows into digital ones without human sorting.
Technical Accounting Memos: Drafting memos, summarizing standards, and pulling relevant guidance can now be AI‑assisted, dramatically reducing the time spent on research-heavy tasks.
Data Analysis & AI-Assisted Coding: From categorizing transactions to identifying anomalies, AI is accelerating the grunt work behind reconciliations and month-end close.
Brainstorming & Research: Accountants are using AI to explore treatments, compare scenarios, and gather background information before diving into technical work.
Audit Automation: AI can flag unusual transactions, extract key terms from contracts, and help auditors focus on higher‑risk areas instead of manual sampling.
These aren’t futuristic concepts; they’re happening inside accounting teams today.
What Jobs Are Most at Risk?
As AI adoption grows, certain tasks, and the roles built around them, are becoming vulnerable. Forbes highlights several areas where automation is already making an impact:
Bookkeeping
Basic financial modeling
Foundational data analysis
These roles rely heavily on repeatable, rules‑based work — exactly the kind of tasks AI excels at. This doesn’t mean these jobs disappear overnight, but the demand curve is shifting.
So What Skills Matter Now?
Forward‑thinking companies and finance leaders are already implementing AI tools, and that means the skill sets that matter are evolving. The accountants who thrive in this new landscape will be the ones who lean into:
Analytical Thinking: Interpreting data, spotting trends, and telling the story behind the numbers.
Systems Fluency: Understanding how data moves through ERPs, automation tools, and AI‑enabled workflows.
Digital Curiosity: Experimenting with new tools, iterating on processes, and embracing continuous improvement.
Cross‑Functional Communication: Translating financial insights into operational decisions and partnering across the business.
Adaptability: Navigating change, learning quickly, and helping teams adopt new technologies.
AI isn’t replacing accounting teams — it’s reshaping them. The work that remains is more strategic, more analytical, and more impactful. The organizations that recognize this shift early will build finance teams that aren’t just keeping up with the future — they’re leading it.
Meet the Author
Jake Harris
Partner, Accounting & Finance Practice; Partner, Operations & Supply Chain Practice
Connect on LinkedIn ↪
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