人工智能和自动化会计：提升你的税务技术栈

Why embracing technological change is a strategicadvantage for small and midsize accounting firms Introduction Your firmcan harnessautomation andAI-poweredtax technologyto transformyour workflowand achievesustainablegrowth. With the dawn of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), small and midsize accountingfirms face a crossroads: watch and wait or move quickly to embrace change. If your firm islike most, you have already realized the need to embrace technology not just as a matterof staying current, but as a strategic necessity for maintaining a competitive edge andensuring long-term success. But where do you start when it comes to elevating your techstack? This white paper explores the importance of technology adoption, the benefits ofan integrated tech stack, and the potential risks of a “watch and wait” approach. Byharnessing the power of digital transformation with proven strategies to elevate your techstack, your firm can harness automation andAI-powered tax technologyto transform yourworkflow and achieve sustainable growth. The current state of technology in the tax andaccounting industry There is no doubt the tax and accounting industry has seen substantial techadvancements in recent years. From cloud computing and AI to blockchain and dataanalytics, a digital transformation is reshaping how accounting firms operate, deliverservices, and interact with clients. However, the adoption rate of these technologies variessignificantly among small and midsize accounting firms. According to the Thomson Reuters® Institute2024 State of the Tax Professional Report,the use of AI-powered tax solutions is still relatively low at most tax and accounting firms.Fewer than one-quarter (24%) of respondents said their firms use AI at all; among thosethat do, the most common usage was for research. That said, 35% of respondents to this year’s survey said their firms would be investingin some form of AI over the next two years, although few (7%) cited AI as a topinvestment priority. The survey also uncovered the unsurprising fact that many tax and accounting firmscontinue to struggle with the need to drive more efficiency. This challenge is amplified bythe shortage of qualified candidates, not only in tax skills but also in technology skills. With a limited pool of options, many firms are increasingly relying on technology toenhance the speed and accuracy of their work, ultimately delivering higher-qualityservices to clients. Central to this push for efficiency is the need for tax firms to integrateautomation into nearly every aspect of their operations. Though most firms automate some portion of their tax processes, small firms useautomation the least. According to the survey, an average of 43% of firms overall onlyautomate 25% or less of their tax processes. Midsize firms use automation the most,relative to their workload, with one-quarter of firms automating between 26% and 50% oftheir processes, and 20% automating more than half. FIGURE 2:Proportion of tax process automation % of respondents If your firm is still relying on traditional methods and legacy tax systems, it can limit yourefficiency and ability to compete with tech-savvy competitors, not to mention a growingclientele who expect it. Central to this push for efficiency is the needfor tax firms to integrate automation intonearly every aspect of their operations. Embracing the challenge of technology adoption inthe tax and accounting industry Firms that failto adapt riskfalling behind andlosing out on acompetitive edge. While most tax and accounting professionals recognize that AI can enable growthopportunities by automating routine tasks, enhancing data analysis, and improvingdecision-making, many firms are still hesitant to adopt it. Integrating new technology can be daunting, especially for small and midsize firms withlimited resources. However, seeing technology adoption as an opportunity rather than achallenge is crucial because the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term hurdles. The hesitation to elevate and integrate new technologies often stems from concerns aboutcost, complexity, and disruption to established workflows. Yet, as the profession continuesto evolve, the pressure to modernize becomes increasingly unavoidable. Firms that fail toadapt risk falling behind and losing out on a competitive edge. To address this challenge, firm leaders must define and implement an appropriatetechnology stack tailored to their specific needs. This stack should align with both thefirm’s current and near-term business strategies, considering its unique requirements. According to the2024 State of the Tax Professional Report, top investment priorities for taxfirm leaders include tools for improving workflow processes, new tax technology solutions,and practice management tools. FIGURE 3:Top investment priorities (ranking) By utilizingAI-enabled tax softwareto improve workflow processes, your firm can moveaway from mundane and repet