INTHEBLACK September/October 2025 - Magazine - Page 45
Jason Robinson FCPA, director and co-founder
of Future Advisory and chair of CPA Australia’s
Victorian Public Practice Committee, says his firm
is creating value and reducing “analysis paralysis”
by using Gen AI to help write and manage emails,
draft reports and generate onboarding material for
new clients.
While AI adoption is a “mixed bag” among firms,
Robinson believes incorporating more AI features
into a widely used software tool such as Xero — for
example, empowering AI assistants to generate an
invoice — “will further drive use by accounting firms,”
he says.
Despite the rise of AI agents, Robinson says some
degree of human intervention will likely be required
for accounting tasks for the foreseeable future.
However, firms should prioritise upskilling employees
in business- and data-analytics to improve job
satisfaction and drive better client results.
In Shanghai, Jin says Deloitte has been trialling
Gen AI technologies to handle reviews of audit
reports and working papers, leading to faster
and higher-quality outcomes. In tandem with such
technology, Deloitte has deployed Smart Review
and Scribe AI, two web-based, Gen AI-enabled
applications that expedite the drafting, comparison
and review of audits.
Rather than
fearing such
technology, Jin says
accounting firms that
embrace AI have a chance to win
over a new generation of talent at a time when some
firms are struggling to attract young graduates.
Salampasis agrees that CEOs and other leaders
must be conscious of not missing out on an
“AI edge”, but adds that they need to be selective
with the AI tools they incorporate. “There must
be a gradual adaptation that considers feedback
loops from customers, from operations and from
markets,” he says. “This interaction model is
going to be very important and it will be, in my
view, key to ensuring a competitive advantage.”
King adds that the success of cosmetic giant
L’Oréal’s virtual beauty assistant, Beauty Genius,
demonstrates the importance of being proactive
and taking risks with AI. The tool leverages Gen AI
technology to deliver beauty advice, skin diagnostics
and personalised products.
“At some point you have to get your hands
dirty with these technology advances,” he says.
“The only way to show that you can do it is by
actually attempting to do it.” ●
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In an increasingly digital world, Robinson expects
more clients across multiple sectors to demand
AI knowledge from their accountants in a bid to
keep up with competitors. “If you don’t even have
basic knowledge of AI, your advisory toolbox will be
lacking that next piece of gold or wisdom that may
change a client’s business,” he says.
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