5 Insights from DCPA to fuel intentional firm growth in 2026

The Digital CPA (DCPA) Conference made one thing clear: The profession isn’t talking about change anymore — it’s intentionally redesigning how firms operate, serve clients and create value.

More than 1,400 innovative professionals across client advisory services (CAS), audit and tax gathered in Washington, D.C. and online for three days of candid conversations about what’s working, what’s changing and what firms need to do next as AI, technology and client expectations accelerate.

As CPA.com president and CEO Erik Asgeirsson emphasized during the keynote, “DCPA is not just about technology. Technology is an enabler — but what really matters is how leaders rethink the business model, the people and the process.” That message set the tone for the conversations that followed during the event, focusing on practical, leadership-driven steps firms can take to grow by design.

Here are five insights that stood out — and why they matter in 2026.

1. AI is moving beyond pilots and becoming the operating system for modern firms

   Across sessions and peer discussions, the focus shifted from experimenting with AI to embedding it across workflows and teams to elevate insights, improve accuracy and create capacity for higher-value work. Just as important, leaders emphasized the fundamentals that make AI effective and sustainable — data quality, responsible use and change management.

   To help firms translate momentum into strategy, CPA.com’s multi-part AI initiative is supporting practitioners in their understanding and application of AI by developing practical tools firms can use to build their AI strategies. Newly released resources include an AI models and use cases primer and an AI solution due diligence guide to help firms evaluate solutions, prioritize use cases, and adopt AI responsibly.

2. CAS continues its strong growth

   CAS continues to stand out as one of the profession’s most strategic growth opportunities. As these engagements shift further into advisory, firms are fundamentally rethinking their business models to deliver the added value their clients need. By leaning into technology, industry verticalization, modern pricing strategies and talent investment, firms are deepening expertise, delivering more repeatable services and building scalable CAS models that drive strong client outcomes.

   CPA.com has long focused on empowering firms of all sizes to understand the opportunity within CAS to maximize value for clients and capitalize on its growth potential. Through ongoing research like the CAS benchmark survey, we deliver insights into how firms are building, pricing and scaling CAS practices. Those insights directly inform CPA.com’s education and enablement offerings, including CAS 2.0^® Practice Development Coaching program to workshops, toolkits and self-study resources — all core elements of the training and practical guidance needed to start or progress the CAS evolution journey.

3. Firms are redefining audit & assurance in the digital era

   Like CAS, audit practices are also undergoing a period of significant transition. New technologies, evolving standards, talent constraints and rising client expectations are reshaping how assurance services are delivered. Firms leading the way in the transformation are taking intentional shifts to meet the needs of today’s audit. CPA.com just released our inaugural Audit Transformation Survey Report to help ground the profession’s discussion in real-world practices, barriers and opportunities to help firms of all sizes.

   Additionally, firm adoption of audit technologies is continuing to grow with many firms leveraging the AICPA Dynamic Audit Solution (DAS). Reimagining the audit process with a data- and risk-driven approach that enhances efficiency, DAS promotes a higher quality audit and deepens the use of data to strengthen value delivered to clients.

4. Tax is shifting from compliance to advisory

   Tax practices are streamlining workflows and applying AI to stay ahead of evolving tax regulations, reduce manual effort and deliver faster, more consistent guidance — while freeing up capacity to have higher-value client conversations.

   AI-enabled tax research capabilities help practitioners surface answers more quickly and improve compliance quality. Meanwhile, new AI-driven sales and use tax solutions are emerging to help firms provide efficient, scalable tax compliance services their clients are looking for in an increasingly complex marketplace.

5. Firms are adapting for long-term resilience

   Firms are evolving their strategies and organizational models as AI, technology and client expectations accelerate, prompting a more intentional approach to how they operate and grow. Many are shifting toward structures that support advisory-focused, technology-enabled work, placing greater emphasis on agility, clearer decision-making and thoughtful talent development. This movement reflects a profession committed to building firm models that can adapt quickly, harness AI-driven capabilities and sustain long-term resilience.

   The conversations and connections made throughout the event reflect the strength of the DCPA community, with practitioners openly sharing what they are building and learning in real time. You can stay connected with the community throughout the year by subscribing to the Digital CPA podcast.

You can also find the latest insights and learnings to empower your firm’s evolution at CPA.com/resources.