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Almost two-thirds of businesses (64%) now turn to ChatGPT for advice before speaking to their accountant, according to new research.
A survey of 500 senior decision-makers at UK accountancy firms, carried out by consultancy Ravical for its 2025 report Accounting in the age of AI, found clients are increasingly experimenting with artificial intelligence rather than waiting for the profession to take the lead.
More than half of firms said they had corrected advice given by ChatGPT, while one in five reported they were frequently required to step in. Many noted that clients had received misleading or inaccurate guidance from publicly available AI tools.
The study found clients mainly used AI for financial planning and forecasting (59%) and for bookkeeping and data entry (54%). Almost four in 10 respondents (39%) said clients had even used AI to check or challenge advice they had received from their accountant.
Joris Van Der Gucht, co-founder and chief executive of Ravical, said: “Clients are bringing AI to their accountants, not the other way round. That introduces risks when advice is wrong or misleading – but it also presents a huge opportunity for the profession.”
He added: “We are at a point where accountants can redefine their role as trusted advisors, helping clients adopt AI responsibly and keeping human judgement at the core of business decision making.”
The research pointed to growing pressure on accountants as client expectations shift, with many influenced by the speed and directness of technology-driven advice. More than half of firms (51%) said clients had asked whether AI could eventually replace accountants altogether.
Nearly half (46%) of firms surveyed believed many current skills would become less relevant in the coming years. Instead, new capabilities such as working with AI tools (83%) and data analysis (68%) were expected to be essential.
Almost half of firms (49%) also said AI was likely to have a significant effect on productivity, service quality and career development within five years.
Van Der Gucht added: “AI will not replace accountants, but it will change the way they work. We are entering a post-knowledge economy, where knowledge alone is no longer a differentiator, with the real value now coming from combining AI’s capabilities with professional oversight, context and judgement.”
