Editorial Board
Accountants Can Use the Help That AI Provides
A staid profession that’s struggling to recruit workers has a lot to gain from the new technology — if it proceeds with caution.
Check the machine’s work.
Photographer: H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images
From computers to data analytics, technology has helped accountants be more accurate and productive. Now — just as businesses bemoan a lack of qualified workers — generative artificial intelligence models such as ChatGPT-4 look poised to revolutionize the industry.
Companies are moving fast to experiment. But educators and regulators will need to adapt quickly to ensure the new large language models can be trusted to tackle the delicate task of tracking and verifying corporate finances.