AI Adoption Surges Among Accountants, Preparing for Potential Advisory Expansion Amid Obstacles
Transforming Accounting Support for Small Businesses
The accounting landscape is undergoing a significant shift, as revealed by the 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology Survey. This transformation is set to bring about a change in the nature of accounting support small businesses receive, moving away from routine compliance tasks towards more strategic, AI-enhanced advisory services.
More Strategic Advisory Focus
The survey shows that 79% of accountants anticipate a surge in strategic advisory work. This means small businesses can increasingly rely on their accountants not just for bookkeeping but as business partners who provide forward-looking advice and help interpret financial data using AI-powered insights.
Improved Productivity and Efficiency
81% of accountants report that AI improves productivity by automating manual and routine tasks. This efficiency gain allows accountants to allocate more time to strategic tasks that directly benefit small business clients.
Potential Barriers to Adoption and Service Delivery
Despite AI's promise, accounting firms face challenges including technology integration complexities and hiring skilled professionals. Small businesses might experience a transition period where access to fully AI-enabled advisory services is uneven or limited, depending on their accountants’ capabilities.
Rise of New Skill Sets in Accounting
The roles of accountants are changing from number-crunchers to advisors skilled in AI applications such as predictive analytics and anomaly detection. Small businesses will gain from this shift if their accountants can effectively combine AI tools with human judgment to provide tailored business insights and strategy.
Competitive Advantage for Early Adopters
Firms that strategically implement AI and advisory services can offer faster, smarter, and more innovative services, attracting clients and providing more value. Small businesses working with such early-adopter accounting firms may receive superior service that gives them an edge in a competitive market.
Addressing Talent Gaps
Talent gaps remain a concern, with only 28% of firms reporting training programs that fully meet modern demands. Addressing this issue is crucial for small businesses to reap the full benefits of AI-enhanced accounting services.
The Evolution of Accountants' Role
The evolving role of accountants, with the adoption of AI and automation, can provide a competitive edge for small businesses. Intuit's Vice President of Accountant Solutions, Simon Williams, emphasizes the importance of synergy between technology and human expertise for continued momentum in digital transformation.
Managing Multiple Apps
Many firms use an average of eight apps for core operations, leading to high costs, integration issues, and increased training requirements. Streamlining this process could lead to more efficient and cost-effective services for small businesses.
The 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology Survey provides deeper insights into this rapidly evolving industry. Among today's accountants, 81% believe that AI has positively influenced their productivity. Moreover, 64% of accountants plan to invest in or upgrade their AI capabilities within the next year. Technology has significantly reduced the compliance workload for accountants, allowing them to devote more time to strategic advisory roles.
By leveraging the full range of advisory services and technologies available, small businesses can foster more productive and strategic relationships with their accountants. The transformation of accounting support promises to bring about a new era of growth and decision-making opportunities for small businesses, but the success of this transition depends on accounting firms’ ability to overcome AI adoption challenges and evolve their service offerings accordingly.
[1] Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology Survey, 2025 [2] Accounting Today, "The Future of Accounting: AI and Beyond," 2023 [3] Forbes, "The Impact of AI on Accounting Firms," 2024 [4] The Wall Street Journal, "How AI is Transforming Accounting for Small Businesses," 2025
- In the shifting accounting landscape, small businesses may find their accountants offering more strategic advice and business insights, as 79% of accountants anticipate a rise in such work and AI-powered technology has been found to boost productivity by automating routine tasks.
- To stay competitive in this evolving industry, small businesses should look for accounting firms that invest in or upgrade their AI capabilities, as 64% of accountants plan to do so in the next year, enabling them to focus on strategic advisory roles and offer smarter, more innovative services.
