AI for accounting firms, consultancies and agencies: which tasks to automate first
Updated
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.
| 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 |
| Process invoices for payment. Invoice data capture and matching is highly routine digital work. Done by accountants. | 85% AI can do it 59 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences. Reconciliation is pattern matching across ledgers; highly automatable today. Done by accountants. | 72% AI can do it 56 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards. Core digital task; AI checks accuracy and conformance to standards quickly. Done by accountants. | 70% AI can do it 55 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Review forms and reports and confer with management and users about format, distribution, and purpose, identifying problems and improvements. AI can flag form problems and summarize feedback; stakeholder talks stay human. Done by management consultants. | 45% AI helps 80 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement. AI can summarize and flag performance data; manager decides actions. Done by general managers. | 58% AI helps 99 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Prepare adjusting journal entries. Entries follow rules from known data; AI drafts, accountant approves. Done by accountants. | 65% AI can do it 51 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Prepare detailed reports on audit findings. AI drafts findings reports; auditor judges and signs off. Done by accountants. | 60% AI helps 51 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies. AI can scan records for anomalies; auditor investigates flagged items. Done by accountants. | 60% AI helps 50 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text. AI drafts reports and charts from data; analyst checks findings and narrative. Done by digital marketers. | 70% AI can do it 124 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Develop, maintain, or analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs. Budget variance reports are routine calculations; AI drafts commentary. Done by accountants. | 68% AI can do it 47 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.
Teams in this industry
The business functions in accounting, consulting and advertising, by share of the workforce, with each one's exposure.
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.
- Accountants, 11.4% of the workforce, score 60 out of 100
- Management consultants, 7.7% of the workforce, score 55 out of 100
- General managers, 5.8% of the workforce, score 44 out of 100
- Digital marketers, 4.5% of the workforce, score 62 out of 100
- Bookkeepers, 4% of the workforce, score 67 out of 100
- Sales representatives of services, 4% of the workforce, score 66 out of 100
- Project managers, 2.5% of the workforce, score 53 out of 100
- Financial managers, 2.5% of the workforce, score 49 out of 100
- Customer service representatives, 2.5% of the workforce, score 74 out of 100
- Secretaries, 2.4% of the workforce, score 66 out of 100
- Office clerks, 2.4% of the workforce, score 60 out of 100
- Tax preparers, 2.2% of the workforce, score 69 out of 100
- Software developers, 2.2% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
- Recruiters, 1.7% of the workforce, score 62 out of 100
- PR specialists, 1.4% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
- Marketing managers, 1.4% of the workforce, score 55 out of 100
- Advertising sales agents, 1.4% of the workforce, score 61 out of 100
- Administrative supervisors, 1.4% of the workforce, score 55 out of 100
- IT managers, 1.3% of the workforce, score 50 out of 100
- Billing clerks, 1.2% of the workforce, score 59 out of 100
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
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.