# AI for accounting firms, consultancies and agencies: which tasks to automate first Updated October 2026 Across the 3.4 million US jobs in accounting, consulting and advertising, the work scores 56 of 100 for AI exposure, weighted by how many people do each job. AI can take on about 919 hours a year per full-time person, 46% of a working year. The task that frees the most hours across the industry is to document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems, about 126 hours a year for each person who does it. AI exposure, weighted by employment 56 out of 100 High exposure Hours AI can take on 919 hours a year per full-time person Task time AI can do today 21% AI speeds up another 65% ## Tasks to automate first The 15 tasks where AI can take on the most hours across accounting, consulting and advertising: how exposed each task is, how much of the job it takes and how many people do that job. Hours are per person in the role that does the task. [How we score each task](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). | Task and who does it | AI exposure | | --- | --- | | Document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems, procedures, or organizational changes. AI drafts reports well, but findings and recommendations need expert judgment. Done by management consultants. | 62% AI helps 126 hours a year for each person in the role | | Gather and organize information on problems or procedures. AI can summarize documents and sort notes, but gathering needs people. Done by management consultants. | 55% AI helps 118 hours a year for each person in the role | | Analyze data gathered and develop solutions or alternative methods of proceeding. AI can rapidly analyze data and propose options; person chooses solutions. Done by management consultants. | 55% AI helps 117 hours a year for each person in the role | | Prepare manuals and train workers in use of new forms, reports, procedures or equipment, according to organizational policy. AI can draft manuals quickly; training delivery and adoption remain human. Done by management consultants. | 50% AI helps 92 hours a year for each person in the role | | Plan study of work problems and procedures, such as organizational change, communications, information flow, integrated production methods, inventory control, or cost analysis. AI can help draft study plans and scopes; scoping needs stakeholder context. Done by management consultants. | 45% AI helps 88 hours a year for each person in the role | ## What stays with people 14% of the task time across these roles needs a person, and the output of the rest still needs someone to check it. The tasks below take the most of that time. - **21%** AI can do it - **65%** AI helps - **14%** Needs a person - Confer with personnel concerned to ensure successful functioning of newly implemented systems or procedures. Management consultants, 15% exposed - Recommend purchase of storage equipment and design area layout to locate equipment in space available. Management consultants, 15% exposed - Distribute promotional materials at meetings, conferences, or trade shows. Sales representatives of services, 8% exposed - Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory. General managers, 10% exposed - Operate 10-key calculators, typewriters, and copy machines to perform calculations and produce documents. Bookkeepers, 12% exposed ## Adoption path Start with the tasks where AI helps a person, then automate the routine ones, then give whole workflows to agents with a person approving the output. 1. ### Quick wins Staff get research summaries, client email drafts and first drafts of reports from a private AI setup that keeps client material confidential. Example: Document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems. AI helps with 62% of the time. [AI governance](https://www.aigentcy.com/services/ai-governance/) 2. ### Workflow automation Client document collection, bookkeeping entries, time capture, invoicing and client reporting run as automations. Example: Process invoices for payment. AI can do 85% of it. [Process automation](https://www.aigentcy.com/services/process-automation/) 3. ### Agents An agent prepares each client file, lists what is missing and chases the client for it, and a reviewer signs off. 6 of the 15 tasks on this page are ones AI can do end to end, the work an agent takes on. [Private AI](https://www.aigentcy.com/services/private-ai/) ## Teams in this industry The business functions in accounting, consulting and advertising, by share of the workforce, with each one's exposure. 1. [Operations and admin, 24.8% of the workforce, score **54**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/operations/) 2. [Finance and accounting, 23.8% of the workforce, score **61**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/finance/) 3. [Marketing and content, 10.2% of the workforce, score **60**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/marketing/) 4. [Sales, 8.7% of the workforce, score **59**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/sales/) 5. [IT and software, 7.9% of the workforce, score **58**](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-for/it/) ## Roles in accounting, consulting and advertising The 20 largest roles, each linked to its task-by-task score. Shares come from the BLS industry staffing estimates, May 2025. Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, customer service representatives score highest at 74, general managers lowest at 44. 1. [Accountants, 11.4% of the workforce, score **60** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/accountants/) 2. [Management consultants, 7.7% of the workforce, score **55** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/management-consultants/) 3. [General managers, 5.8% of the workforce, score **44** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/general-managers/) 4. [Digital marketers, 4.5% of the workforce, score **62** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/digital-marketers/) 5. [Bookkeepers, 4% of the workforce, score **67** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/bookkeepers/) 6. [Sales representatives of services, 4% of the workforce, score **66** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/sales-representatives-of-services/) 7. [Project managers, 2.5% of the workforce, score **53** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/project-managers/) 8. [Financial managers, 2.5% of the workforce, score **49** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/financial-managers/) 9. [Customer service representatives, 2.5% of the workforce, score **74** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/customer-service-representatives/) 10. [Secretaries, 2.4% of the workforce, score **66** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/secretaries/) 11. [Office clerks, 2.4% of the workforce, score **60** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/office-clerks/) 12. [Tax preparers, 2.2% of the workforce, score **69** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/tax-preparers/) 13. [Software developers, 2.2% of the workforce, score **59** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/software-developers/) 14. [Recruiters, 1.7% of the workforce, score **62** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/recruiters/) 15. [PR specialists, 1.4% of the workforce, score **59** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/pr-specialists/) 16. [Marketing managers, 1.4% of the workforce, score **55** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/marketing-managers/) 17. [Advertising sales agents, 1.4% of the workforce, score **61** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/advertising-sales-agents/) 18. [Administrative supervisors, 1.4% of the workforce, score **55** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/administrative-supervisors/) 19. [IT managers, 1.3% of the workforce, score **50** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/it-managers/) 20. [Billing clerks, 1.2% of the workforce, score **59** out of 100](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/billing-clerks/) ## Questions about AI for accounting firms, consultancies and agencies Which tasks should a professional services firm automate first? The first task to automate is to document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems (62% exposed). Next come the tasks to gather and organize information on problems or procedures (55%) and to analyze data gathered and develop solutions or alternative methods of proceeding (55%). Together they free the most hours across the industry. How many hours can AI save a professional services firm? About 919 hours a year per full-time person, 46% of a 2,000-hour working year. For a team of 10 that is about 9,190 hours, the time of 4.6 full-time people. The figure is the share of task time AI can remove today, weighted by how many people do each job. Which roles in a professional services firm are most exposed to AI? Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, customer service representatives score highest, at 74 of 100, and general managers lowest, at 44. Each role's page lists its tasks one by one. Will AI replace jobs in accounting, consulting and advertising? AI can do 21% of the task time across these roles today. Another 65% gets faster with AI while a person stays in charge. 14% needs a person. One task that stays with people is to confer with personnel concerned. Where should a professional services firm start with AI? With the quick wins: approved assistants for the tasks AI helps with, under a written AI policy. Then automate the 6 tasks on this page AI can do end to end. An AI audit maps the tasks in your team and ranks them the same way this page does. ## Next steps - [AI content quality at volume: expertise in, drafts out](https://www.aigentcy.com/blog/ai-generated-content-quality/) ### Find the tasks to automate first in your team We map the tasks in your business, score each one the way this page does and build the automations that pay back first. [Book an AI audit](https://www.aigentcy.com/audit/) Occupation data from the O\*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and modified by Aigentcy. O\*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Wage, employment and projection data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. EU occupation names from ESCO, European Commission. AI usage signals from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY) and Microsoft Research (CC BY 4.0). [Methodology and sources](https://www.aigentcy.com/ai-exposure/methodology/). Scores © Aigentcy. Quote them with a link to the page.