‘Deliberate’ transitions to advisory needed

“This allows accountants to identify issues, trends and opportunities that may otherwise take significantly longer to uncover.”

Internal capability building is another flow-on benefit, Yim said: “AI agents and technical knowledge tools can support junior staff by giving them access to structured guidance, firm knowledge and technical resources at the point of need. Used well, this can help accelerate learning, improve consistency across teams and raise the overall quality of client service.”

When it comes to ensuring that human judgement, professional scepticism, and ethical decision making remain central to the accounting process, Yim said that policies alone are not enough.

Firms need, she said, “a clear understanding of their processes, the quality of the inputs being used, and the level of human review required before any AI-assisted output is relied upon. Professional judgment and scepticism must remain central”.

“AI can assist with research, drafting, summarising, and analysis, but it should not replace the accountant’s responsibility to assess whether an output is accurate, relevant and appropriate in the circumstances,” she said.

Culture, Yim said, is also critical.

“At Walker Wayland, both as a firm and as part of a broader network, maintaining a culture that is collaborative, open-minded, and ethical creates the right environment for successful AI adoption. Leaders need to encourage innovation while also reinforcing that accountability, professional standards and client trust remain non-negotiable,” Yim said.

When evaluating AI investments, particularly when balancing upfront costs, ongoing expenses, and expected returns, Yim suggested assessing existing policies and processes; reviewing the current technology stack; considering whether AI is the right solution; determining whether they are trying to automate an entire process or a smaller subprocess; and developing a staged implementation plan with both short-term and long-term goals.

“I would encourage firms to be open to incremental change rather than assuming they need a complete overhaul. There are often practical workarounds and transitional steps that can deliver value while the firm builds confidence, capability and governance around more advanced automation,” she said.

When asked how best accountants and their firms can reallocate capacity, upskill their people, and make that transition to advisory services in a way that is both sustainable and trusted by clients, Yim suggested establishing an internal think tank or AI project group to help manage the transition.

“This group can assist with developing firm policies, educating staff, monitoring product developments, and identifying practical use cases. An important extension of this function is integrating successful use cases into existing workflows,” she said.

“It is not enough to trial tools in isolation; firms need to assess how those tools can improve actual processes, support staff and enhance client service. It is also important that the group includes people from different service lines and levels of the business. This helps ensure that selected tools are practical, cost-effective, and relevant across the firm, rather than being driven by one narrow use case.”

Smaller firms, Yim said, should attend webinars, events, and training sessions offered by professional bodies, software providers, and industry groups.

“These sessions are often led by professionals dealing with the same challenges, and they can provide useful insight into what is working in practice,” she said.

Ultimately, she said, the transition to a more advisory-focused model “needs to be deliberate”.

“Firms should use AI and automation to create capacity, but then invest that capacity into staff development, better client conversations, and higher-value advisory work. That is what will make the shift both sustainable and trusted by clients,” she said.

Yim will be speaking at the upcoming Accounting Conference & Expo 2026, being held in Sydney on Friday (12 June), on a panel titled ‘The New Accountant: AI, automation, and the advisory shift’. To learn more about the conference and to purchase tickets, click here.