INTHEBLACK October 2026 - Magazine - Page 9
“I still believe there will be a premium that clients will want to pay
for judgement, but it will be for the very best judgement.”
SAM NICKLESS, CEO AT GILBERT + TOBIN, SPEAKING AT THE COMMBANK 2026 ACCELERATE AI SUMMIT
ABOUT THE IMPACT OF AI ON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
Source: CommBank
SME AI UPTAKE
Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption
among Australian small and mid-sized
businesses is on the rise with a report
from Intuit showing uptake almost
doubled in the past 18 months.
More than 40 per cent of Australian
SMEs reported increased revenue
since adopting AI and 28 per cent
say their workdays are shorter since
implementing the technology.
However, while ambition appears
to be high across the sector, the
report shows hesitation still exists
among many SME owners, with
39 per cent saying fear of failure
prevents them from implementing AI.
Privacy and security are also key
concerns, with 39 per cent of SMEs
worried on this front — more than in
the US, the UK or Canada.
Read the report
PROGRESSION VS SALARY
Career progression is becoming a key driver of employee retention,
but it is one that most organisations are not using. That is a key finding
from the Hays Salary Guide FY26/27, which shows that of those who
changed employers in the past 12 months, 31 per cent cited pay
and 29 per cent cited the lack of a clear career path as the reason why.
“That is the closest those two have ever been in this research, and it
changes what good employers need to do,” says Matthew Dickason,
CEO APAC at Hays.
More than 70 per cent of employees have been in their current role
for fewer than four years and 36 per cent are actively searching for
a new role, while a further 34 per cent are open to opportunities.
Meanwhile, most employees cannot see a promotion pathway, with
fewer than 10 per cent saying promotions are frequent and based
on clear criteria. A third say there is no clear promotion structure.
The salary guide also reveals that 70 per cent of employees rate
flexibility as critical but only 66 per cent of employers offer it as
a standard workplace practice.
Read the guide
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 9
