iscoverNew research has found accountants are willing to embrace new AI tools to help boost efficiency, yet are very much against the technology replacing staff.
68% of accountants reject the idea of replacing workers with AI
11 September 2025
•
9 minute read
With the technology world and AI adoption moving at a rapid pace, accountants have no choice but to move with the times to bolster their services and streamline their operations.
Recent research conducted by BizCover revealed 68 per cent of accounting professionals were unlikely or unwilling to replace employees with AI, despite the tool being able to take over basic employee jobs to save both time and money.
You’re out of free articles for this month
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
Though accountants were reluctant to replace their workers, 71 per cent of small accounting businesses were already using AI tools, with a further 14 per cent planning to adopt them soon.
The report, Accounting Small Business AI Report 2025, surveyed 59 small accounting businesses and formed part of the broader Australian Small Business AI Report 2025, which covered several key industries.
The sectors surveyed in the broader report covered health, consulting, marketing, ICT, architecture, accounting and retail, with the accounting sector ranking fourth for AI uptake across Australia.
Ricky Prasad, BizCover head of finance, said that from the seven sectors researched, with 68 per cent of accounting professionals unlikely to replace workers with AI, this was the highest rejection rate.
“Adoption rates in accounting seem to be tempered by caution, which makes sense given the profession’s focus on accuracy, compliance and ethics. Accountants are looking to leverage AI to streamline admin and communication, not replace human expertise,” he said.
From the research, it was revealed that accounting businesses primarily used AI to improve client and external communications, as well as assistance with problem-solving, decision-making and marketing efforts.
From the survey, 62 per cent believed AI could automate specific tasks, 32 per cent believed no roles were at risk and 10 per cent considered that entire roles could be at risk of being replaced.
Prasad said the research unveiled that 68 per cent of small accounting firms were struggling to find both hard and soft skills.
“Problem-solving, communication and customer service remain top priorities, while upskilling focuses on digital literacy and AI capabilities,” he said.
“This underscores the importance of human judgment and trust in accounting. Accountants are approaching AI in a practical, responsible way. It’s less about disruption and more about enhancement, helping firms operate smarter without compromising client trust.”
In terms of the outlook, 53 per cent of accountants felt optimistic about AI’s impact on their careers, 17 per cent were concerned about skill relevance and 31 per cent remained unsure, yet BizCover noted AI was already succeeding at performing routine tasks and freeing up crucial time for higher-value advisory work.
Following the results of this study, a panel at Xerocon 2025, held last week in Brisbane, urged small practitioners not to lose their ‘human edge’ when embracing new technologies such as AI.
As previously reported by Accountants Daily, Kayur Patel, PwC NZ director of the generative AI team, said professionals needed to be prepared to “dive headfirst” into emerging technologies if they were to remain competitive in the shifting landscape.
Patel noted it was essential to invest real time and energy into upskilling AI skills for daily operations, yet was “convinced that the human edge in accounting wasn’t going anywhere”.
“Technology is able to do a whole bunch of things, but as long as our customers and our clients are human, humans are going to be able to decide what it is that humans do and what it is that technology does.”
“A lot of the commentary around the impact that AI is going to have on our profession is from people who haven't actually got their hands dirty with AI. I'm really confident about the future of our industry, and that's coming from someone who genuinely uses 50 AI agents a day to help me do my work.”
You need to be a member to post comments. Become a member for free today!
