By Ashlin Minogue, M.A.
With the implementation of AI and automation to assist CPAs in daily operations, it’s understandable that your clients and internal partners may have questions — perhaps around AI governance and potential risks that can crop up with AI implementation.
How can you ease the AI anxiety for your clients and team members?
First and foremost, listen to their concerns. When you understand where their anxieties originate, you’ll be able to address those concerns without inadvertently appearing dismissive.
During the EPICenter webcast Smart Systems, Less Stress — Automating Your Daily Workflow, on April 1, a panel of experts will discuss automation tips, including how to automate without feeling overwhelmed. Ahead of the webcast, Paul Perry, CPA, CITP, CISM, joined me for a chat about governance of emerging technologies and how to address concerns surrounding cybersecurity risk.
Paul recommends that you acknowledge a key concept: There’s an inequality of understanding about AI and emerging tech.
We’ve all heard about AI, but our knowledge of its functionality differs. Paul advises, “Don’t force everybody into the same box, but help everybody figure out what their box looks like.” Some professionals may have basic knowledge of AI, while others are already using AI in varying capacities. You’ll want to meet them where they are and thoughtfully guide them to understand how you and your firm or organization uses AI.
How you frame AI and speak about it to your peers and clients can reduce their fears.
Your role as a trusted adviser is bar none.
You can make AI feel less intimidating by sharing how you always review AI’s output to ensure accuracy. AI is simply a tool to amplify your service offerings, productivity, and data analysis.
Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, President & CEO at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, has reminded us in AICPA Town Halls and other meetings: when it comes to AI, there’s always a human in the loop.
Your clients and internal partners may benefit from being reminded of that as well.
One of your strengths as an expert in the accounting and finance profession is meticulously reviewing data with a critical eye and a healthy dose of skepticism.
When your clients and peers know that they can continue to count on you for accuracy and thoroughness, it makes AI and automation less intimidating.
Everyone’s first step into automating daily tasks will be unique.
The concept Paul shared — inequality of understanding — applies to colleagues, too. Paul recommends you don’t force yourself or colleagues into a box that isn’t comfortable. He also emphasizes, “While you do need to put some trust in automation or it's never going to be applicable or efficient for you, you do not have to be an expert or a coder to know how to leverage AI for automation.”
Accounting and finance professionals may have different knowledge of emerging tech but feel that they’re placed in the same situation as their peers; they might worry that they are behind the curve.
How can you prevent your colleagues from getting caught up in the inequality of understanding? A mindset shift can be born from answering two questions:
How can I use AI to make my role better?
Where can I use automation to enhance or complete mundane tasks I’ve been doing for 20 years?
To use an analogy and take us back to college days for a moment, Paul stresses, “You’re only behind if you’re trying to keep up with the classmate who is on chapter 20 of the textbook, but you’re on chapter 5.”
Rather than comparing yourself or perhaps having negative self-talk about “being behind,” it’s better to acknowledge where you are.
When thinking about where you’d like to begin with automation, start with tasks you’re good at and would enjoy doing less of. This shift in perspective could lead to feeling empowered. Hold onto that healthy skepticism though; you’ll need that when you review and verify AI’s output.
If your teams need encouragement, listen to their concerns and then brainstorm a path forward. Whether that means opening the textbook to chapter 1 or chapter 5, the point is that each person will start from their unique place. You wouldn’t want individual teammates to jump too far ahead by skipping forward to chapter 20. Nor do you want teams to implement AI and automation without clear guidelines.
Governance and internal controls can ease colleagues’ concerns.
Another way to help colleagues move beyond their reservations about AI and automation is to share with them the security measures that are already in place and those that are being evaluated or created.
Internal controls underpin the integrity of the accounting and finance profession. And as you articulate parameters for using emerging tech in your firm or organization, Paul recommends a cross-departmental team of experts to fine-tune the governance structure.
Multiple perspectives are needed to understand all aspects of the business and align strategies and policies to mitigate risks. The governance solution cannot come only from one leader or one IT person as you answer questions like:
What are the risks to my business, to everyone who works for me, to myself?
How do we mitigate those risks?
AI doesn’t reduce risks; it moves them. AI can, however, be used to create a starting point to the team discussion, by asking generative AI: What are the risks to my business around [X, Y, or Z]?
AI, plus a team, can reveal the totality of risks that you need to consider, prepare for, and monitor.
For strong governance, you need alignment and buy-in.
When creating your governance framework, keep in mind four pillars: people, communication, strategy, and oversight.
“If governance conversations happen in silos or if you don’t have buy-in from a human resource perspective, AI-use perspective, cost perspective, etc.,” says Paul, “you can’t get everyone on the same page and have true buy-in.
“A sound workplace culture — as it relates to artificial intelligence — means everybody's on the same page and everybody's moving forward the same way.
“If there’s not a clear governance structure or if staff aren’t onboard with the governance, nothing else matters.”
How can we use automation to improve our workday? The possibilities are endless.
For example, Lexi Weber, CPA, Senior Manager of Emerging Professionals Initiatives has automated her workday by using an online booking tool for her calendar. Lexi shared, “It saves me at least a couple hours every week of going back and forth with emails to coordinate schedules. Now I can just send my booking link and let external partners schedule a meeting with me at their convenience.”
Lexi continued, sharing her thoughts on the opportunities that automation can bring for emerging professionals: “Finding opportunities for automation is essential for reducing stress, our cognitive load, and burnout. Being able to automate tedious tasks that could consume an hour of our day allows us to repurpose that time. Imagine starting your workday with a summary of the emails you’ve received in the last 24 hours, tasks to be accomplished, or a summary of news updates to help you streamline your efforts.”
Paul’s advice echoes Lexi’s input: Have an open mind to how AI and automation can be helpful, not hurtful.
Hear from Paul, Lexi, and other experts directly on Wednesday, April 1, at 2:00pm ET for the EPICenter webcast: Smart Systems, Less Stress — Automating Your Daily Workflow.
About the expert
Paul Perry, CPA, CITP, CISM, serves as a Member and Practice Leader of Risk Advisory & Assurance Services at Warren Averett. He specializes in risk assessments, internal control, and IT control-related projects, including Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and SOC engagements. His expertise is in auditing and assurance services, and Paul enjoys public speaking about data analysis, cybersecurity, internal controls, IT, and other engaging topics.
About the Emerging Professionals Initiatives Committee
The mission of the Emerging Professionals Initiatives Committee (EPIC) is to actively promote and support accounting and finance professionals through leadership programs, professional development resources, and volunteer opportunities. Please reach out to Lexi Weber, CPA, Senior Manager — Emerging Professionals Initiatives with any questions.