Will AI replace Accountants and Auditors?

AI can do 87% of the work Accountants and Auditors do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 7 of their 29 tasks, while 18 more are ready but barely used so far. Robots can technically handle 1 physical task. 3 still need a person.

AI is already doing this7 · 33% of time

People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.

  • Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.Mostly automated14% of time
  • Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.Mostly automated5% of time
  • Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.Mostly automated4% of time
  • Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.Mostly automated4% of time
  • Examine records and interview workers to ensure recording of transactions and compliance with laws and regulations.Mostly automated2% of time
  • Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting systems, making use of current computer technology.Mostly automated2% of time
  • Establish tables of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.Mostly automated1% of time

AI could do this next18 · 54% of time

AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.

  • Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.7% of time
  • Prepare adjusting journal entries.6% of time
  • Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.6% of time
  • Develop, maintain, or analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs.6% of time
  • Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.4% of time
  • Report to management regarding the finances of establishment.4% of time
  • Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.2% of time
  • Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.2% of time
  • Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.2% of time
  • Direct activities of personnel engaged in filing, recording, compiling, and transmitting financial records.2% of time
  • Process invoices for payment.2% of time
  • Review data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income, or expenditures.2% of time
  • Evaluate taxpayer finances to determine tax liability, using knowledge of interest and discount rates, annuities, valuation of stocks and bonds, and amortization valuation of depletable assets.1% of time
  • Examine whether the organization's objectives are reflected in its management activities, and whether employees understand the objectives.1% of time
  • Audit payroll and personnel records to determine unemployment insurance premiums, workers' compensation coverage, liabilities, and compliance with tax laws.1% of time
  • Review taxpayer accounts, and conduct audits on-site, by correspondence, or by summoning taxpayer to office.1% of time
  • Advise clients in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting or data processing systems, or long-range tax or estate plans.1% of time
  • Conduct pre-implementation audits to determine if systems and programs under development will work as planned.1% of time

Robots can technically do this1 · 1% of time

Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.

  • Examine inventory to verify journal and ledger entries.Robots: structured workplaces1% of time

Still needs a person3 · 12% of time

No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.

  • Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.10% of time
  • Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.1% of time
  • Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.1% of time

Your week is not the average

Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.

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What this means

AI can already do almost all of this work at least twice as fast. Real use is still behind at 29 out of 100, so the change here is only getting started. Expect the role to shift toward deciding what to do, checking AI's work and owning the result.

What to do next

  • Do the 7 tasks AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
  • Get ahead on the 18 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
  • Keep an eye on the 1 physical task robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
  • Build on the 3 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Financial Examiners88%Financial and Investment Analysts89%Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents92%Appraisers of Personal and Business Property81%Loan Officers95%Credit Analysts96%

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