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.
Innovation that actually works: Rebuilding engagements from the ground up
Many firms have invested in new technology and AI but some see limited value. This session explores the engagement model, the practical blueprint for how work is planned, performed, reviewed and delivered and explains why it must come first. Attendees will learn how rethinking engagement design improves efficiency, consistency and audit quality, where outdated workflows quietly create friction, and how AI delivers real value only when applied at the right stage of the engagement lifecycle. The session also outlines where firms can begin making changes without disrupting existing standards or teams.
Mimo - AI
Mimo runs accounting delivery as a single system. With Mimo Associate, month-end work is executed end to end, maintaining client context across periods and automating collection, coding, reconciliation, adjustments and review continuously.