Practical AI Use Cases That Are Actually Useful for CPAs

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the accounting landscape. What was once perceived as a tool for the distant future is now reshaping how accounting professionals work. 

Today, AI stands as an essential asset for CPAs, enabling them to streamline workflows, minimize errors, and make more informed decisions with greater confidence. AI is particularly valuable to accountants, CPAs, and tax advisors as it automates repetitive tasks and delivers real-time analysis of business performance. These advancements free up professionals to focus on higher-impact work, such as advising clients or strategizing for growth.  

To gain deeper, real-world insights into how AI is making a tangible difference, Ace Cloud Hosting interviewed industry leaders, including Seth Finberg, founder of Accountants Forward, and Randy Johnston, Executive Vice President at K2 Enterprises.  

Their perspectives highlight AI’s role in boosting efficiency, facilitating better collaboration, driving growth, and helping firms uphold the accuracy and rigor that clients expect.  

“AI is Assisted Intelligence” – Seth Fineberg 

First and foremost, know that AI (or Assisted Intelligence as I’ve been referring to it) is all about the automation of tasks. This should be every accountant’s priority: to figure out exactly what tasks cause the most pain, are prone to error, or take the most time, and consider automation therein. This may not be as easy as it sounds, and partly why it makes it the most crucial step in embracing AI into your business. 

Know, too, that AI isn’t just about scripts or dictation and answering questions. The fact is, AI is actively being built into nearly every application you use or will use. It was built to learn, and it needs you. It needs accurate data about the world CPAs live in, making what comes next even easier. 

Much like the promise of the cloud was to work in real-time with your staff and clients and increase efficiency, AI is in your corner to reduce time on all tasks and projects, as well as errors in the work itself. Unlike software, again, it needs you…the person, the professional behind it all. This is why I’ve referred to it as the Assistant, and not Artificial. 

For AI to truly be embraced, it needs to be thought of and used exactly in this way. Not something that is there to remove you, but to support you and even grow with your business without the need for upgrades or add-ons, as with traditional software. 

“Look for Evolutionary, Not Revolutionary Change” – Randy Johnston 

Artificial Intelligence has already provided leverage for the accounting profession in many ways. Each area of practice, including tax, audit, Client Accounting Services, wealth management, litigation support, administrative scheduling, billing, and workflow, among others, is already seeing benefits. 

Be aware of your fiduciary responsibilities to protect clients’ data when using AI platforms. Consider the following:  

Practical AI Activities 

• Look for evolutionary, not revolutionary change 
  • Filter email to detect spam, phishing, and prioritize important messages based on user behavior. 
  • Build client responses with generic examples 
  • Create customized marketing and social posts from firm-specific content 
  • Create presentation deliverables  
• Adopt tools that have AI built-in
  • Thomson Reuters Checkpoint Edge CoCounsel, AnswerConnect, Blue J, TaxGPT, others 
  • Digits AI Accounting, BASIS, MakersHub.ai, others 
  • Black Ore Tax Autopilot, Filed, Solomon, Additive, Abacus, others 
  • Trullion, Suralink, Audit Intelligence Analyze (was Materia), others 

AI Roadmap We See in Firms 

• Set a strategy and create a policy 

• Never put client PII (Personally Identifiable Information) into AI engines like ChatGPT 

• Adopt Copilot 365 for indemnification and protection, possibly ChatGPT Teams or Enterprise 

• Build a prompt generation standard for the firm’s productivity 

• Select tools that include AI after confirming SOC, SSO, and sub-processor relationships 

• Build client offerings optimized with AI 

Likely Outcomes 

• General AI (LLMs) 
  • Set firm policy – Define AI usage rules. 
  • Select one LLM to focus on – Standardize on a single model. 
  • Build a firm-wide prompt generation standard – Ensure consistent AI prompts. 

• Product Specific AI 
  • Pick areas of the firm with the most potential for improvement 
  • Ask existing vendors about any product improvements/AI plans 
  • Consider new competitors in each category of need 

Moving Forward with AI 

AI is rapidly becoming a game-changer for accounting firms, enabling automation, efficiency, and smarter decision-making. As Seth Fineberg and Randy Johnston emphasize, AI is not here to replace professionals but to assist and amplify their expertise. 

1.  Automated Routine Task Management: AI takes over repetitive, error-prone tasks like data entry, transaction categorization, and reconciliations—freeing CPAs to focus on higher-value advisory work and reducing errors. 

2. Smart Email Filtering and Prioritization: AI-powered email systems block spam, detect phishing, and prioritize critical client communications, saving time while enhancing security. 

3. Enhanced Client Communication: AI drafts initial responses to client queries and generates basic examples, speeding up communication and allowing professionals to focus on complex client needs. 

4. AI-Powered Content Creation: Firms can use AI to create tailored marketing content and social media posts, promoting services and maintaining client engagement with minimal effort. 

5. AI-Driven Document Analysis and Presentation Creation: AI extracts key insights, summarizes information, and, with the help of an AI presentation maker, generates polished presentations – enhancing both client deliverables and internal collaboration 

At Ace Cloud Hosting, we believe that adopting AI is no longer optional—it’s essential. By leveraging AI-powered solutions, accounting firms can work smarter, enhance productivity, and stay ahead in an increasingly tech-driven market. We’re committed to empowering CPAs with tools and managed cloud services that make AI adoption seamless, helping them transform their work and drive lasting growth. 

How are you leveraging AI in your accounting work? Share your thoughts in the comments!