In 2025, the average bookkeeper or accountant probably hears the phrase artificial intelligence or AI 7 to 10 times a day, many times in the same conversation. Ok, fine, I made that part up. But it’s true that talking about AI in accounting is like mentioning bread with butter. They just go together. So, as we close out 2025 and look ahead to 2026, here are five trends, backed by the latest industry reports, showing how AI is reshaping the way you work.
According to Intuit’s 2025 Accountant Technology Survey, nearly half of accountants (46%) use AI daily. Most say it saves time, improves accuracy, and reduces stress by handling repetitive tasks.
In Xero’s 2025 State of the Industry Report, 84% of accountants felt prepared to start using AI in their practice, and 90% of respondents were optimistic about realizing positive impacts.
Karbon’s 2025 State of AI in Accounting report showed that firms using AI save about 18 hours per employee each month, a number that increases 22% when the firm invests in training and enablement. Advanced users of AI save a staggering 71% more time per employee, up to seven weeks of capacity for each individual.
Intuit’s respondents reported that AI has improved productivity (81%) and reduced their mental load (86%) for daily tasks.
Most accountants (95%) use automation for time- and detail-intensive tasks like payroll processing (47%), accounts payable/receivable (46%), and transaction processing (43%).
The areas where the greatest benefits are seen include:
Automation sets the stage, giving you, and the AI, the cleanest, most accurate and timely data for analysis.
AI is helping accountants and bookkeepers unlock greater business intelligence. While there’s no shortage of data, traditionally, time and expertise have long been barriers to making sense of it.
With the help of AI, 79% of accountants believe that strategic advisory services will grow an average of 38% in the next year. Hand-in-hand with this rise, 94% also think it’ll increase revenue.
Over time, as your ability to interpret the data improves, stronger customer loyalty and other competitive advantages will follow.
A majority of accountants (85%) note that adopting new tools and technologies is key to unlocking growth. Furthermore, the gap between those who master AI and those who don’t will continue to widen with 56% of professionals believing that the value of a firm drops when it doesn’t use AI.
First, there was cloud accounting. Now, there’s AI transformation. All while many firms juggle disconnected tools, constant compliance pressures, rising labour costs, and clients who expect instant, data-backed answers.
AI uses machine logic. People leverage emotional intelligence and lived experience. You can’t and shouldn’t have one without the other.
For the other hurdles, there’s Huumans, an operating system that helps you gather all your financial data in one place — pairing it with an AI CFO, Roy, that helps analyze this information and answer business questions in plain English.
As we launch the Huumans operating system, Roy, and our first built-in automation tool, payroll, we’re inviting accountants and bookkeepers to join our first advisor cohort. In addition to helping us test and refine our tools, you get free payroll for your firm, and any of your small business clients can use the software to pay up to five employees free for a year.
Ready to get started? Join the Huumans Collective. We can’t wait to meet you.
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