Taxpayers Want a Human CPA not AI

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CPAs and accountants can sigh in relief. Recent data show that clients do not crave a 100% AI-led experience. They prefer AI aiding human accountants (especially a CPA) to provide better service. In many circumstances, most people prefer to keep AI out.

Accounting practice management solutions provider Karbon has compiled data indicating that only a minority of clients are OK with AI completely taking over a task with no human involvement. Clients mainly choose options where humans lead and AI assists, or, in most cases, a fully human experience without AI.

Twenty-two percent prefer AI for crisis management. Thirty-six percent want AI-assisted with a human. Fifty-eight percent simply want a human. Disparities appear in strategic and financial planning. They also appear in tax planning and filing. Similarly, gaps show in payroll processing, compliance, and anomaly detection. In none of these cases did more people want a fully AI experience.

Karbon’s survey shows that 39% cite trust and perceived integrity as the top reason for choosing their accountant or CPA. This preference is about the relationship with their professional, not necessarily about efficiency or value. This is not because clients do not value efficiency or value, but they see these things more in terms of the relationship they have with their professional.

Why a Human CPA?

The report illustrates that when clients enlist a CPA, they want more than someone who will perform a particular task. They want someone who can be a partner and advisor over the long term, a trusted professional, if you will. Many observers have long said that this is a people business.

The accountant’s deep knowledge of the client’s history, goals, and circumstances informs this relationship, built through years of conversations and questions. Clients also say their human CPA is much better suited for handling ambiguous situations and edge cases as they have actual professional experience versus a dataset that simulates it. And finally, there is a sense that the accountant has an actual incentive to make sure their clients do well, as it means more money for the firm, as opposed to an AI that has no stakes at all.

The survey shows that clients are not uniformly against AI. It’s just that they want their accountants to use it not necessarily to churn out tax returns like an assembly line but, rather, to add further value to what they already do.

If you need a human CPA, contact our Tax Department to discuss your situation. They can be reached at info@madonia.com or (312) 578-9300.