The state of AI in accounting 2026: Trends, challenges & opportunities

The accounting profession is changing faster than most firms are ready for. AI is already reshaping how the best firms operate, how they structure their teams, and what they can deliver for clients. In this session, Karbon CEO Mary Delaney shares a vision for the transformed accounting firm: one where people and AI agents work side by side, where every function from bookkeeping to tax to advisory is supported by purpose-built intelligence, and where a unified data layer ties it all together. This isn’t a conversation about the future. It’s a look at what’s already happening and what it means for your firm.