New survey reveals 79% of accountants expect a surge in strategic advisory work, and 81% say AI improves productivity—yet tech complexity and hiring hurdles persist

Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) — the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp — today released the findings of its 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology Survey. The new survey shows a changing landscape for accountants as AI adoption continues to increase. This shift indicates the need to move beyond routine compliance work and embrace AI-powered workflows and advisory services to compete for tech-focused clients and drive meaningful growth. However, this evolution isn't without friction—tech overload, integration complexities, and hiring challenges are testing firms’ abilities to keep pace.

"This year’s findings show an industry in motion,” said Simon Williams, vice president, Accountant Solutions, Intuit. “Accountants are expanding their influence by using AI to reduce time spent on routine work and focus on higher-value client needs. We’re focused on helping firms turn AI into a strategic advantage that strengthens their services and sharpens their competitive edge, as seen in our recent integration of new AI agents into the Intuit platform.”

AI and Automation Take Center Stage

Accountants are rapidly embracing artificial intelligence and automation as essential tools in their daily workflows, with 64% of respondents reporting their firms plan to invest in or upgrade AI over the next year — indicating year-over-year growth from 2024 (57%) and 2023 (48%).

According to the survey, 95% of firms adopted automation technologies in the past year, with the top uses of the tech including payroll processing (47%), accounts payable/receivable (46%), and data entry and transaction processing (43%). Further, 46% of respondents report using AI daily, nearly double the rate of daily AI use among small businesses (28%), demonstrating a technical prowess that can help accountants better serve their clients.

AI and automation are helping accountants streamline tasks and elevate their work. 93% report they have used AI to enhance strategic business advisory services, including suggestions for improving client interactions, creating financial summaries, and generating real-time insights. The benefits are clear. The data shows that with the adoption of automation, respondents believe there’s a near-unanimous improvement in accuracy (98%), efficiency (97%), and quality of client service (95%). This demonstrates increased trust in the technology, too — with last year’s survey finding that 21% of accountants were concerned about the accuracy of using AI.

Accountants are also realizing the positive impact AI can have on managing their daily workload—81% of respondents report that AI has positively impacted their productivity, while 86% say it has helped reduce their mental load doing day-to-day tasks. Firms are doubling down on their investments in AI, with 82% of respondents saying their firms have already built or are planning to develop proprietary, closed-source AI tools to tailor solutions and stay competitive.

Dan Luthi, partner, Ignite Spot Accounting Services, and tech-forward accountant, says, “AI isn’t taking over our jobs. It’s giving us more room to do the work that matters. It’s here to remove the things that slow us down.”

Strategic Advisory Work Surges

Strategic advisory services are surging as compliance work takes a back seat, signaling a broader shift in the profession’s identity. Nearly 8 in 10 accountants (79%) expect strategic advisory work to grow over the next year by an average of 38%.

Among those expecting this increase, 94% believe it will lead to higher firm revenue, 89% foresee an expanded client base, and 81% anticipate greater job satisfaction. Accountants are also optimistic about the quality of their client engagements, with 78% expecting improvements as they take on more strategic roles.

Technology is playing a pivotal role in enabling this shift, with 95% of respondents saying it has significantly reduced time spent on compliance tasks and amplified their focus on strategic advice and client relationships. The top areas where technology is having an impact are: a boost in overall project and time management efficiencies; advanced analytics for deeper business insights; automating repetitive compliance tasks; and enhancing client engagement through CRM systems.

Firms are also prioritizing growth by expanding their client base (56%), attracting higher-value clients (51%), and broadening their range of advisory offerings (43%).

Tech Overload and Talent Gaps Threaten Progress

Despite the enthusiasm for digital transformation, many firms are struggling to manage it. On average, firms are using eight different apps for core operations, leading to a host of challenges, including: high total subscription costs (44%), integration difficulties (41%), time-consuming data entry (41%), and staff training burdens (33%). Meanwhile, two-thirds (66%) of respondents report feeling overwhelmed by the amount or complexity of technology required for their work at least weekly, highlighting a growing need for simplification and standardization.

These inefficiencies are creating friction at a time when agility and scalability are more important than ever. It’s potentially also leading to a reduction in technology investments — with accountants reporting they plan to invest an average $20K in the next 12 months, down from last year’s projected average of $24K.

Additionally, hiring and retaining talent remain a concern. While 75% of firms have increased their focus on tech skills when hiring, only 28% say their training programs fully meet modern demands. Meanwhile, 80% of respondents report difficulty hiring experienced professionals for their firms, but that figure has decreased by 14 percentage points year-over-year, indicating a positive trend.

“To keep the momentum going, firms can’t afford to overlook the talent side of transformation,” said Williams. “AI is unlocking powerful efficiencies, but it’s the combination of smart technology and skilled professionals that drives impact. Investing in education and developing tech-savvy talent is key to ensuring AI and human expertise move the profession forward.”

Read the complete 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology Survey results here. For insights into how Intuit is empowering accountants with AI-powered tools needed to fuel their clients' success, visit FirmoftheFuture.com.

Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology US Trends Survey Methodology

Intuit commissioned an online survey in April 2025 of 700 accounting professionals throughout the US, all aged 18+. Of the participants, 36% own an accounting or bookkeeping business and 64% are employed as accountants or bookkeepers within a firm. Among these participants, 24% work in larger firms with more than 100 employees, and 76% are part of smaller firms that employ between 0 to 99 individuals. Half of respondents (52%) were male and 47% were female. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest decimal place, so values shown in data report charts and graphics may not add up to 100%. Responses were collected using Pollfish audience pools and partner networks with double opt-ins, random device engagement sampling, and post-stratification based on census data to ensure accurate targeting and results. Respondents received remuneration.

About Intuit

Intuit is the global financial technology platform that powers prosperity for the people and communities we serve. With approximately 100 million customers worldwide using products such as TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to prosper. We never stop working to find new, innovative ways to make that possible. Please visit us at Intuit.com and find us on social for the latest information about Intuit and our products and services.

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