Are your clients forcing AI upon you?

Gilles Callewaert | November 7, 2025

As an expert, be it in accounting, tax, legal, HR or insurances, the first time a client brought information they gathered through an AI chatbot to a meeting most probably felt rather bizarre. Now that defining how to use AI in the most efficient way has become a reality for most expert firms, clients continue playing a major role in shaping how AI is used across the accounting profession.

Our latest report, Accounting in the Age of AI, found that the conversation around AI adoption is being led from the client side, with nearly two thirds (63%) of accountants revealing their clients are asking how they’re using AI to add value, and more than half (54%) reporting that they have to review or correct advice given to clients by tools like ChatGPT. In some cases, that guidance has been misleading or incomplete, forcing firms to step in and re-establish accuracy.

With this trend comes a fundamental shift in expectations. Nearly half (45%) of firms report that a significant proportion of their clients are already using AI for tasks accountants have traditionally managed, from bookkeeping and financial planning to tax calculations and compliance checks. What’s more, well over a third (39%) of businesses are even using AI to challenge or validate the advice they receive from their accountant.

At first glance, it might feel like clients are forcing AI upon their advisors, but that doesn’t tell the full story. This trend shows that clients are eager to see AI used to raise quality, speed, and insight, and are inviting their accountants to take the lead in making that happen.

Value as the main driver

This client-driven AI adoption is a dynamic which gives firms a clear mandate that clients value AI, but they also value expertise in applying it responsibly.

Client adoption presents firms with an opening to add value to the accountant’s role. As our co-founder and CEO, Joris Van Der Gucht, puts it:

“Clients are bringing AI to their accountants, not the other way around. That introduces risks when advice is wrong or misleading, but it also presents a huge opportunity for the profession. We are at a point where accountants can redefine their role as trusted advisors, helping clients adopt AI responsibly and keeping human judgement at the core of business decision making.”

Firms that embrace this shift can elevate their service models by embedding AI into advisory work to deliver deeper insights, faster reporting, and more strategic guidance.

The journey

There's more to AI than gaining some operational efficiency through scattered tool usage. Undeniably, the momentum is here to create more value for your clients.

The future of accounting depends on how humans and AI work together, recognising that a human-centred approach is essential to maintaining the trust and relationships that define the profession.

What’s next?

While much of AI’s acceleration in accounting has been driven by client curiosity, the value unlocks as a result of developing structured AI strategies that are built on secure systems, reliable data, and clear ethical standards.