iscoverAccounting firm leaders are facing a widening skills gap in AI, with most admitting they lack a clear strategy and remain stuck in the experimentation stage.
Accounting firms falling behind on AI as skills gap widens
22 August 2025
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8 minute read
According to Thomson Reuters’ Future of Professionals 2025 report, based on responses from more than 2,200 professionals across accounting, audit, tax, and compliance, only 22 per cent of firms have a defined AI strategy. Those that do are twice as likely to see AI-driven revenue growth and 3.5 times more likely to capture measurable benefits.
Adam Franklin, AI and marketing coach, said the distinction was becoming critical.
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“Curiosity is a great start, but without a strategy, it doesn’t move the needle,” Franklin said. “Partners who test AI in isolation without linking it to workflows are getting patchy results, and their teams are slipping back into old, inefficient habits.”
Franklin said this stop-start cycle was leaving many firms in what he calls an “AI holding pattern”, aware of the potential, yet hesitant to commit.
“The risks are clear,” he warned. “Rivals that invest in structured adoption are already gaining advantages in turnaround times, efficiency, and staff retention.”
For many firm leaders, hesitation stems from fear of disruption. Past software rollouts, clunky workflow changes, and compliance concerns have left scars. But Franklin said the cost of inaction was now harder to ignore.
“Firms are aware they’re missing opportunities – faster service, scalable growth, improved margins, and keeping up with competitors who are already promoting their AI-enabled efficiency as a point of difference.”
The pathway forward, he said, is small but deliberate steps.
“When I work with firms, we pick repetitive tasks and build simple workflows around them,” Franklin said. “That quick win builds momentum and gives the partners confidence to tackle bigger projects.”
Some early adopters are already shifting the industry narrative. According to Franklin, certain firms have cut partner workloads by up to 10 hours a week, while others are using AI tools to maintain consistent, high-quality marketing content without constant oversight.
The advantage is not only operational. Perception also matters, Franklin added.
“Partners who lead with AI position themselves as forward-thinking and future-ready. If clients and peers see you as ahead of the curve, you’re no longer defending your relevance – you’re setting the benchmark.”
To help address the capability gap, B2B content delivery specialist Captivate Q, part of the Momentum Media network, has launched AI Edge 2025: a series of practical, one-day workshops tailored for specific industries. The first AI Edge for Accountants takes place on Wednesday, 17 September at QT Sydney, with additional events planned in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
Franklin said the timing was crucial.
“AI is not a side project anymore. The firms that close the skills gap now will run leaner, grow faster, and be seen as the ones to watch. Those that don’t will be playing catch-up.”
Registrations for AI Edge for Accountants are open now and are strictly limited to 40 places.
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