London – 1 October 2025: Almost two-thirds (64%) of businesses are now using ChatGPT for advice before consulting their accountant – according to new research.
The survey of 500 senior decision makers within UK accountancy firms, conducted by Ravical for its 2025 report, ‘Accounting in the age of AI’, reveals a profound shift in the accountant-client dynamic, with clients no longer waiting for the profession to take the lead on AI, instead experimenting with tools themselves.
More than half of accounting firms (54%) say they have been required to correct advice their clients have received from ChatGPT, while a further 20% say they are frequently asked to step in, with many noting that the guidance clients have received from easily accessible AI tools has been misleading or incorrect.
Alongside general financial queries, clients are largely using AI for financial planning and forecasting (59%) and bookkeeping and data entry (54%), according to the study. On the other hand, and perhaps more concerningly for firms, more than two thirds of clients (39%) even use AI to validate or challenge the advice they receive from their accountant.
Commenting on the findings, Joris Van Der Gucht, co-founder and CEO of Ravical, said: “Businesses are bringing AI to their accountants, not the other way round. That introduces risks when advice is wrong or misleading – but it also presents a huge opportunity for the profession.”
The research highlights the mounting pressure on accountants as client expectations rise, shaped by the speed, clarity and proactivity they now experience when engaging directly with technology. More than half of firms (51%) admit they have had clients ask them directly whether AI could replace their services altogether in the future.
Accountants recognise the scale of the change facing them, with nearly half (46%) of firms believing that many current skills will become less relevant in the years ahead, while new capabilities such as working with AI tools (83%) and data analysis (68%) are expected to become essential. More generally, almost half (49%) expect AI to have a significant impact on productivity, service quality and career development within the next five years.
“AI will not replace accountants, but it will change the way they work,” continued Van Der Gucht. “We are entering a post-knowledge economy, where knowledge alone is no longer a differentiator. The future
of the profession lies in AI-powered collaboration between advisors and their clients.”