How top firms are turning AI talk into action

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 BILL and CPA.com Accountant Partner Council, where, for two and a half days, firm leaders gathered to take on the big questions: How is AI shaping the future of client advisory services (CAS)? What’s working, what’s challenging and what’s next?

While there, I also had the privilege of moderating a session that brought together three innovative firm leaders: Michelle Voyer, Director, Client Advisory Services at CohnReznick, Dixie McCurley Partner, Outsourced Accounting Services at Cherry Bekaert and Ashleigh Sutter, Director of CAAS Transformation at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA). Our panel explored the current state of AI in accounting, and more importantly, what it takes to transition from experimentation to strategic implementation.

AI starts with operational discipline

If there was one shared truth among firms on the journey to AI adoption, it’s this: Standardization is the foundation. Without consistent workflows, AI can’t scale. The most effective firms are focusing on aligning systems, unifying processes across offices, and ensuring data integrity so AI and automation can do its job.

As Ashleigh noted, “AI only works when you have a consistent foundation to build from.”

Beyond the tools themselves, governance plays a critical role. At CLA, team members can submit automation ideas, but they’re rigorously vetted against clear success criteria—such as traffic-light scoring and KPI benchmarks. This rigor not only ensures smart adoption but also builds organizational trust in new systems.

The cost of resistance and the role of culture

Even the best AI tools can fail if the people using them aren’t aligned. Each leader highlighted situations where promising pilots fizzled—not because of the technology, but because staff weren’t ready to embrace it.

Referencing a recent technology stumble, Dixie shared, “I loved it. The team didn’t.” Despite clear efficiency gains, the automation tool failed to gain traction because it didn’t align with how the team worked or what they were ready for. Even the best technology can fall short without a thoughtful rollout, clear training and a narrative that emotionally connects with users.

That story underscored a larger truth: Adoption requires cultural buy-in. Firms must invest just as heavily in change management as they do in tools themselves through coaching, clear communication of the “why” and surfacing early wins.

This cultural evolution is also reshaping how firms hire and train. Manual entry-level work is shrinking, which means firms are prioritizing skills like analysis, exception handling and client communication.

According to Ashleigh, “It’s not about removing people. It’s about upskilling the next generation to lead with insights.”

Advisory services are evolving fast

Firms aren’t just using AI to work faster. They’re using it to redefine what their CAS offerings include. The shift from transactional to strategic services is accelerating, and clients increasingly expect forward-looking insights delivered in near real time.

Some firms are automating data ingestion across financial platforms to create always-on dashboards, enabling staff to shift from conducting reconciliations to advising clients on margin improvement. Others are leveraging AI to identify growth opportunities, surface risks, and even anticipate service needs before clients voice them.

Other firms are using AI to proactively identify growth opportunities within client portfolios: analyzing trends, surfacing risks and triggering new project conversations. In some cases, AI is even reshaping sales processes, helping firms spot service gaps before the client brings them up.

These shifts demand professionals who can translate complex analytics into clear, actionable guidance. Firms that build teams with those skills are setting the pace for the future of CAS.

Looking ahead: A shared vision for 2030

So, what’s next? While predictions differ, the vision for CAS in 2030 converges on transformation. Some leaders anticipate a “continuous close” where finance becomes a real-time function. Others see “automation-as-a-service” taking shape—where firms don’t just advise on systems but deliver embedded, bundled solutions that function more like SaaS products.

And it’s not just large firms that will see great upside by 2030. Dixie noted, “Smaller firms may actually have the advantage, because they can standardize faster and adapt without legacy constraints.”

Across all scenarios, future-ready firms will be:

• Built on clean, accessible data
• Powered by automation and AI
• Staffed by professionals whose value lies in interpretation, not input

Start building smarter now

The 2025 BILL Accountant Partner Council was a rare forum for unvarnished conversations with profession and product leaders on what’s working, what’s not and what comes next for firms and the technology that power their practices. That means being clear-eyed about the barriers, intentional about where to invest and bold in creating space for experimentation. AI may be the accelerant, but strategy, culture and execution are what will carry firms forward.

Want more insights from firm leaders? Check out my live chat with Ariege Misherghi of BILL and Michelle Voyer, CPA, MBA, of CohnReznick on where AI is delivering value for firms and tech partners alike.

To learn more about how BILL is bringing the power of AI and automation into an integrated financial operations platform for firms, visit cpa.com/BILL.

About the author

Kim Blascoe, CPA, leads CPA.com's CAS 2.0 practice transformation programs, focusing on helping firms establish and grow optimized CAS practices through consulting, practice development and training offerings. Prior to joining CPA.com, Kim spent more than 30 years in public accounting, which included leading the CAS practice for a Top 20 firm.