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On September 17th, CAW Network USA hosted a 90-minute panel discussion titled “AI and Accountants 2026” to address a single, pressing question: What is AI actually doing to the accounting profession?
Moderated by CAW Network USA Vice President Nancy Chakabuda, the panel featured insights from Campbell Robertson (Founder, Boxwood Strategy Group), Jani Wentzel (COO, Sensial), and Chris Easton (CEO, Applied Logic). Based on our latest Across the Network podcast episode, here are the six key takeaways and the four questions your firm needs to ask today.
Six Key Takeaways on AI in Accounting
- The future is already here: Forecasts for AI’s impact have rapidly accelerated. While predictions in 2023 pointed to 2035 or 2030, the consensus has shifted to “now”. Currently, 79% of professionals indicate AI is already significantly changing audit and accounting, and 85% report their company already uses the technology
- Adoption is racing ahead of maturity: While 40% of professionals use generative AI daily and 97% of finance departments utilize some form of AI, true maturity lags behind. Only 6% of finance leaders consider their adoption enterprise-wide or mature, and a mere 18% of professional services firms track their return on investment.
- Assistants vs. Agents: There is a critical distinction between an AI assistant (which answers a question for a human to action) and an AI agent (which executes multi-step tasks across systems). AI agents shift the point of control away from the human, meaning internal control frameworks must be updated. Data readiness is essential before these systems can function effectively.
- The risk of not using AI: AI governance must include direction alongside control. Firms face risks not just from using AI, but from neglecting it while competitors advance. For example, AI agents can reduce the time required to analyze years of financial statements from over a day to just 20 minutes, allowing smaller firms to operate with leaner teams and move faster.
- Humans remain accountable: Because there is no legal precedent for an AI agent taking responsibility for a decision, professional value is shifting away from commoditized knowledge toward human judgment, context, and experience. AI errors still require a human to catch them, and firms should begin with practical human checkpoints that can be removed as confidence grows. Additionally, organizations must carefully monitor costs, as unchecked AI scaling can sometimes exceed the cost of human labor.
- Evolving skill requirements: While 90% of event attendees believe data analytics and AI skills will be required for new hires, the panel emphasized that AI agents will handle the actual analysis. The true skills of the future involve knowing which questions to ask and recognizing when an AI-generated answer is incorrect. Firms must also maintain contingency plans for month-end closes in the event that AI tools experience downtime.
Four Questions Every Firm Must Ask
To prepare for impending regulatory and audit scrutiny, Campbell Robertson advises firms to build their documentation now by answering four questions.
- What AI is currently in use, including tools that staff may be using unofficially?
- Where is the human approval point, and is it formally documented?
- What is the evidence trail if a regulator or auditor asks for it next quarter?>
- What was the measured benefit of the AI implementation against the measured cost?
Ultimately, the message for professionals is to embrace AI in a controlled manner. In a final poll, 91% of attendees agreed that they embrace AI to enhance how they work
The full recording of “AI and Accountants 2026” is available on-demand in the Beyond Accounting section of the CAW Network USA website.
Join us for our next event, “Beyond Accounting: Women in Finance,” on Thursday, October 22nd
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