AICPA and CIMA launch new global technology initiative

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants have launched a joint initiative to shape the future of the sector.

The Rise2040 programme stems from a consultation with 6,000 finance professionals across more than 25 countries. 

The project combines a flagship research report with an artificial intelligence platform to provide continuous market insights.

The initiative outlines five main forces changing the market, including data infrastructure, workplace talent dynamics, and regulatory trust architecture. 

The bodies aim to move finance staff away from retrospective reporting and toward strategic advisory roles.

The project will provide practical digital tools to help global accounting firms and businesses handle technological automation. 

The sponsoring organisations represent more than 570,000 members and students worldwide.

Mark Koziel, chief executive, said: “Rise2040 is not about predicting a single future, it’s about equipping the profession to actively shape it. We are at a defining moment. As AI reshapes how work gets done, our value will increasingly be defined by human judgment, trust, and the ability to lead in complexity. 

“At the initiative’s core sits the Rise2040 AI platform and flagship report; both reinforce a defining insight … the future of the profession will not be determined by what happens to us, by the forces shaping it, but by how we choose to respond.”

Tom Hood, executive vice president of business engagement and growth, added: “What emerged from this global effort is a profession that is not retreating from change but rising to meet it with humans in the lead. 

“Professionals are already moving beyond compliance to become strategic advisers, data translators, and trust architects. The opportunity now is to accelerate that shift and build the capabilities, talent models, and leadership mindset needed to deliver value and trust in entirely new ways.”