AI in accounting moved from theory to action at CCH Connections 2026. Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting brought together leaders from Microsoft, Salesforce, McKinsey, and Sandra Wiley Strategies. Together, they sent accounting firms a clear message. AI agents now move from recommending actions to taking them. Therefore, firms must decide how work gets done, how trust is earned, and how people build expertise.
The main-stage panel, The New Blueprint: Building the Future-Ready Firm, took place on Wednesday. Matt Linderman, Partner at McKinsey, moderated the discussion. Each panelist drew on lessons from adopting and scaling AI.
Panelists urged firms not to wait for a perfect firmwide AI strategy. Instead, they advised leaders to start with one workflow and secure the data behind it. Next, firms should build agentic workflows with the governance and controls to deliver the intended outcomes. The session then closed with a challenge. Every firm leader must set priorities for the next 12 months. Additionally, each leader must choose one practical move to make in the next 90 days.
Jason Marx, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, framed the conversation around leadership.
“The future-ready firm will not be defined by technology alone. It will be defined by how leaders combine technology with trusted expertise, sound judgment, strong relationships, and a clear understanding of the outcomes their clients need,” said Jason Marx, CEO, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. “Bringing technology, business transformation, and firm leadership perspectives together helps professionals make informed decisions about where to act now and how to prepare for what comes next.”
Key Themes From the Panel on AI in Accounting Firms
AI as business transformation: Panelists challenged firms to treat AI as more than a productivity tool. First, firms should define the client outcomes and operating models they will need in the years ahead. Then, they should determine where AI can best enable those goals. Simply automating today’s processes falls short of that opportunity.
New ways to develop people: Successful transformation also changes how firms develop people and organize work. As AI takes on more foundational tasks, firms must consider how newer professionals will build expertise and judgment. Consequently, training, supervision, team structures, and incentives must evolve.
Trust and governance: Trust and governance will determine how far and how quickly AI can advance. As AI takes on more autonomous work, organizations need clear standards for evidence, accountability, and human oversight. Moreover, they must understand when an AI agent should stop and defer to professional judgment. “Building an agent isn’t the challenge. The challenge is integrating agents into business workflows with the right context, governance, and human judgment,” said Lara Rubbelke, CTO and Vice President, Frontier Industry Advisory, Microsoft.
Start small and measure results: Value starts with deciding what outcome to drive, such as customer experience, employee productivity, or faster ROI. Anu Saha, SVP and COO, Agentforce, Salesforce urged firms to begin with one workflow and secure the data within it. She noted that data transformation doesn’t have to start with all of a firm’s data at one time. Likewise, panelists encouraged leaders to establish a small team and define how success will be measured. Finally, firms should use those lessons to guide where and how to scale.
A plan backed by investment: Sandra Wiley, CEO, Sandra Wiley Strategies, emphasized that new ways of working need a plan and the investment to support it. She stressed that firms must build AI adoption into strategic planning and budget. In addition, every investment should tie back to the firm’s strategy rather than the latest tool.
Dennis Cahill, CTO, Wolters Kluwer, summed up the panel’s takeaway.
“This panel made clear that the opportunity with AI isn’t simply to make today’s processes faster. It’s to rethink how work gets done,” said Dennis Cahill, CTO, Wolters Kluwer. “As firms move from experimentation to broader adoption, the focus shifts to building the governance, processes, and trust needed to scale AI responsibly while keeping professional expertise and judgment at the center.”
Wolters Kluwer built the conversation on perspectives from participating leaders. It also drew on questions and themes submitted by CCH Connections attendees. In addition, it used insights from Wolters Kluwer’s Future Ready Accountant research.
Participants
- Matt Linderman, Partner, McKinsey | Moderator
- Dennis Cahill, CTO, Wolters Kluwer
- Lara Rubbelke, CTO and Vice President, Frontier Industry Advisory, Microsoft
- Anu Saha, SVP and COO, Agentforce, Salesforce
- Sandra Wiley, CEO, Sandra Wiley Strategies
The conversation continues at CCH Connections 2027, October 25–28 in Las Vegas. Attendees will find fresh opportunities to connect with peers, explore what’s next, and help shape the future of their firms. Registration is now open.
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News Source: Businesswire.com
