{"id":14890,"date":"2024-01-10T10:48:09","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T10:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=14890"},"modified":"2025-05-07T15:07:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:07:34","slug":"accountants-ai-free-time-client-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accountants-ai-free-time-client-work\/","title":{"rendered":"3 ways accountants can use AI to free up time for client work"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/category\/technology-innovation\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Technology &amp; Innovation<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t3 ways accountants can use AI to free up time for client work\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2024-01-10T10:48:09+00:00\">10 January, 2024<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"3 ways accountants can use AI to free up time for client work\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/accountants-ai-free-time-client-work\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/author\/danielheathcote\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/12\/Daniel-Heathcote.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"daniel-heathcote-author\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Daniel Heathcote<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT or DALL-E are still no match compared to humans when it comes to accounting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accountingtoday.com\/news\/study-finds-chatgpt-bombs-accounting-class\">Achieving only a 47.4%<\/a> in its accounting exams, it seems ChatGPT won\u2019t be popping the prosecco after an offer from the Big 4 any time soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That doesn\u2019t mean AI is a write-off for the accounting profession. So, how could it be useful to an accountant today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">There are plenty of tasks that go into running an efficient practice where AI could help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In this article, you\u2019ll explore three ways AI can help carry the heavy load of running an accountancy practice and free up time, which can be spent on supporting clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Included are some practical prompts and ideas for you to get the ball rolling..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here\u2019s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#but\">But first\u2026 what is AI?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#create\">1. Create social media content<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#spark\">2. Spark inspiration<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#speed\">3. Speed up existing marketing and communication tasks<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#before\">Before you go, a word of warning<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#final\">Final thoughts on using AI at your practice<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-4a77f055-e14b-4c64-9344-a5a65da0e711\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-4a77f055-e14b-4c64-9344-a5a65da0e711\"\n\t>Download your free copy of Automate your practice and discover how you can reduce time spent on manual processes<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"but\">But first\u2026 what is AI?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">At its core, AI seeks to replicate human cognitive functions in machines, enabling them to process large volumes of data, recognise patterns, make predictions, and adapt to changing circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI systems can operate autonomously, learning from experience and continuously improving their performance without explicit programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI is built on various subfields, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Machine learning (ML):<\/strong> ML algorithms help computers analyse data and improve task performance over time. This is used for tasks such as image recognition and recommendation systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deep learning:<\/strong> A subset of ML, deep learning focuses on neural networks with multiple layers, which has been useful in image and speech recognition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Natural language processing (NLP):<\/strong> NLP allows machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language, essential for chatbots and text analysis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Computer vision:<\/strong> This enables machines to interpret visual information, crucial for facial recognition and object detection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reinforcement learning:<\/strong> This helps agents learn sequences of decisions to maximise rewards, applied in robotics and game playing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The most zeitgeisty AI at the moment is ChatGPT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It\u2019s primarily an application of NLP and uses deep learning techniques to understand and generate human-like text responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It\u2019s designed for tasks related to text-based conversation, which makes it a handy tool for you to use in your marketing function as an accountant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Now we\u2019ve covered what AI is, let\u2019s dive in and show you how you can use it at your practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"create\">1. Create social media content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It\u2019s always best to start with the most obvious first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Yes. You can use generative AI to create content for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Posting on LinkedIn and other social media can spook the best of us. Who hasn\u2019t cringed their way through writing a humblebrag post? This is where AI can step in for you and get the ball rolling with your practice\u2019s social media presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Will this content be the best? Maybe, maybe not\u2026 But let\u2019s give it a whirl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here we fed ChatGPT the following prompt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><em>I am writing a post on LinkedIn to promote my accounting firm\u2019s forecasting services. Write a post to market these services on LinkedIn, emphasising the benefits of forecasts for small businesses.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here\u2019s what ChatGPT came up with for us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Title: \u201cUnlock financial success with our forecasting services for small businesses \ud83d\udcc8\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Are you a small business owner looking to secure your financial future? Our accounting firm\u2019s forecasting services can help you do just that.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>\ud83c\udf1f Benefit #1: Financial clarity\u2014with accurate forecasts, you\u2019ll gain a clear picture of your business\u2019s financial health. No more financial surprises.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>\ud83c\udf1f Benefit #2: Strategic planning\u2014make informed decisions for your business\u2019s growth and profitability. Our forecasts provide actionable insights.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>\ud83c\udf1f Benefit #3: Risk mitigation\u2014identify potential risks and opportunities early on, allowing you to navigate challenges and seize opportunities proactively.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Don\u2019t leave your business\u2019s financial success to chance. Contact us today to learn how our forecasting services can transform your small business into a thriving, financially secure venture. \ud83d\ude80<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>#SmallBusiness #FinancialForecasting #AccountingServices<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Not bad, right? In seconds you have a useful post that you can pop straight onto your practice\u2019s social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Instead of struggling over words, you can get back to doing what you do best: supporting your clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, be aware that there are advantages and disadvantages to using AI in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Advantage 1:<\/strong> It\u2019s quick and easy\u2014it gets the job done<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disadvantage 1:<\/strong> It looks like AI. Once you know the telltale signs of AI you begin to see it everywhere. Posts are often formulaic, repetitive, and these emojis \u2b50\ud83d\ude80\ud83d\udcc8 are all over AI content. So, at the very least\u2026 throw in a couple of these \ud83d\udc81\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u2728\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4c\ud83d\udc85\ud83d\ude4c<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advantage 2: <\/strong>It automates some writing processes that can be challenging for accountants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disadvantage 2:<\/strong> Don\u2019t get lazy. The content these engines produce is only as good as the briefs you give them. Be specific with your guidelines, always proofread, and remember that ChatGPT defaults to US spelling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advantage 3: <\/strong>AI platforms such as ChatGPT are often free to use or are very cheap.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disadvantage 3: <\/strong>Humans are ultimately more creative, talented, witty, and humorous than an AI. If you want your posts to pop, you\u2019re going to need to provide that human touch, meaning you might need to pay someone to create great content for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Complement AI use with expert support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI can write content for you\u2026 but look at those disadvantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It may be best to use AI in a different way. It can be a great way, for example, to ignite creativity and get the ball rolling on your marketing plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you are serious about your practice\u2019s marketing function, you should consider supplementing AI content with hard-hitting content produced by freelance copy\/content writers, marketing agencies, or social media managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-4a77f055-e14b-4c64-9344-a5a65da0e711\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-4a77f055-e14b-4c64-9344-a5a65da0e711\"\n\t>Download your free copy of Automate your practice and discover how you can reduce time spent on manual processes<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"spark\">2. Spark inspiration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/future-technology\/ai-art-creativity-war\">lack of original creativity<\/a> is important to note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The material AI draws from is stuff that already exists. In the AI imaging world, this has potentially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2023\/06\/generative-ai-future-training-models\/674478\/\">disastrous consequences<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Generative AI programs eventually absorb material created by other machines, which dilutes that human creativity and it all starts looking the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This doesn\u2019t mean we shouldn\u2019t use it for content creation, but we should be wary when using anything solely produced by AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">We can draw upon it for inspiration but shouldn\u2019t depend upon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, talk to any creative and they\u2019ll tell you about the fear of the blank page. Often the hardest part of any task is simply getting started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Again, this is where AI can help you out. It may not be churning out agency-quality content, but it can help you kickstart your writing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For example, if you wanted to write a post about the challenges your clients are facing at the moment, you might ask the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><em>Write a bullet-pointed list of the 5 challenges the hospitality industry faces.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here\u2019s what ChatGPT had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Labor Shortages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong style=\"font-size: revert; color: var(--color-body); font-family: var(--primary-font);\">Difficulty in hiring and retaining skilled staff.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High turnover rates leading to increased training costs.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Changing Customer Expectations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: var(--color-body); font-family: var(--primary-font); font-weight: var(--font-weight-normal);\"><strong>Increasing demands for personalized experiences.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emphasis on sustainability, health, and safety concerns.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Technology Integration: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: var(--color-body); font-family: var(--primary-font); font-weight: var(--font-weight-normal);\"><strong>Adapting to rapidly evolving technology trends.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Balancing automation with maintaining a human touch.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Online Reputation Management:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: var(--color-body); font-family: var(--primary-font); font-weight: var(--font-weight-normal);\"><strong>Managing online reviews and social media presence.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Addressing negative feedback and maintaining a positive image.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Competitive Market:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: var(--color-body); font-family: var(--primary-font); font-weight: var(--font-weight-normal);\"><strong>Fierce competition from both traditional and sharing economy platforms.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pressure to differentiate and offer unique services.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In this example, you may look at the above list and realise you have loads to say about \u2018economic uncertainty\u2019 and be on your way to writing an insightful and engaging post on the subject that supports your hospitality clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI has just given you the tools to inspire this deep work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Now Google, for example, has recently released <a href=\"https:\/\/textfx.withgoogle.com\/\">TextFX<\/a>, an \u201cAI-powered tool for rappers, writers and wordsmiths\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You may not be a rapper (we would all love to see your debut as the MC Taxation Troubadour) but these new generative AIs offer opportunities to quickly create acronyms, similes, metaphors, and alliteration to elevate your writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">See what the AI produces for you on the subjects you want to write about and let your creativity flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Keep the useful ideas, delete the bad, and at the end of the process you should have a piece of content that is unique and original.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"speed\">3. Speed up existing marketing and communication tasks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">How many times have you been asked the same questions in an initial client meeting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Any of these sound familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Should I be a sole trader or register as a limited company?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At what point do I need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/understanding-if-you-need-to-register-for-vat-and-how-to-do-it\/\">register for VAT<\/a>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can I manage my cash flow better?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Why not use AI to help you prepare a blog or guide that answers these questions, which you can provide to your clients?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Here are some essential prompts to use in an AI, plus a short explanation as to why it should be useful, to help you and your team speed up and improve communication tasks for your practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI prompt: \u201cWrite 10 common questions small business owners ask their accountants in their first meeting.\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This list would make a great resource for you and your colleagues to have during an initial client meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If the client doesn\u2019t ask something on this list, bring it up yourself, it could present an opportunity for you to discuss the additional services you offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This could also be a great resource to share with junior colleagues to help them understand what to expect from clients in these meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI prompt: \u201cI am writing an FAQ page for the website of my practice. What questions should I include?\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Creating a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page for your practice\u2019s website is an excellent way to provide valuable information to your visitors as well as boosting your SEO (search engine optimisation). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The specific questions you should include will depend on your practice\u2019s services and the common queries your clients or potential clients might have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, using an AI to help work out what questions to answer is a great place to start and will save you valuable research time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI prompt: \u201cWrite a follow-up email to a potential client to see if they still need my forecasting services.\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This prompt will save you time by using AI to help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">An email like this doesn\u2019t need to be creative or have artistic flair. It needs to be direct, simple, and to the point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Who better for the task than a machine?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI prompt: \u201cWrite a short description of *this service* to use on my accountancy practice\u2019s website.\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">You may understand what management accounts, cash flow forecasting, and capital gains tax planning mean but do your clients fully understand these terms? Can you communicate your offerings without any accounting jargon? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It can be harder than it seems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Consider using an AI to communicate as simply and effectively as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>AI prompt: \u201cCan you check my spelling and grammar in this social media post?\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">There are typos that somehow can only be seen once we have hit \u2018send\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">By copy and pasting your social media posts and emails into an AI, you can quickly ensure that your words are doing what you want them to do: communicate clearly, effectively, and professionally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Just be sure not to include any sensitive information in your AI requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"before\">Before you go, a word of warning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI tools such as ChatGPT are game-changing for so many professions. They have the exciting potential to revolutionise the way we work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Much like how the assembly line kicked production up a gear in the early 20<sup>th<\/sup> century, we\u2019re going through our own productivity revolution 100 years on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That said, these AI models have significant drawbacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Hallucinations: <\/strong>An <a href=\"https:\/\/zapier.com\/blog\/ai-hallucinations\/\">AI hallucination<\/a> occurs when an AI language model creates a plausible but factually inaccurate answer but presents it as if it were fact. The AI means well, but lacking logic and reasoning, it can veer off course in an effort to provide you with the answer you want.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Data: <\/strong>ChatGPT is trained on an enormous volume of data, but the information is only relevant up to 2021. While updates to rectify this issue are likely around the corner, if you want to research something that happened recently, then you\u2019re going to have to do it yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plagiarism: <\/strong>We can\u2019t be 100% sure how AI synthesises the data from other sources. We need to be wary as to whether text has been lifted word-for-word from other places.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security risks: <\/strong>Using AI also carries security risks. The information you feed to the tool might be kept and used to retrain it. As a rule, you shouldn\u2019t be entering any sensitive data relating to your practice or your clients on the system. Italy recently banned ChatGPT because of the storage and collection of users\u2019 personal data to train the site\u2019s algorithms. While the country has since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/technology-65431914\">lifted the ban<\/a> after addressing issues raised by data protection regulators, you should always be wary with sensitive data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final\">Final thoughts on using AI at your practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Accountants are bombarded with new challenges that jeopardise their most precious resource: time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">AI is a perfect tool to use to relieve the burden of time-consuming tasks that need executing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Using AI language models to help create content, spark inspiration, and speed up existing processes seems like a sensible, useful, and effective way for accountants to jump aboard the AI bandwagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">However, it\u2019s also important to recognise the limitations of these tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Remember, the best research and language machine we have is the one between our ears. To achieve the best results, you need to ensure you use AI as a tool and not a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Used correctly, AI has the potential to unlock your time so you can support your clients and ultimately grow your practice.<\/p>\n \n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Automate your practice<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discover how you can use automation to reduce your manual processes, so you can elevate the performance of your accountancy or bookkeeping practice.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-4a77f055-e14b-4c64-9344-a5a65da0e711\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-740534235-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-740534235-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-53abbdcc-410c-4c8c-bf97-ca5c6982eebd\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover a series of tasks you can use AI for at your practice, allowing you to have more time to spend adding value to your clients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1762,"featured_media":14465,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[166],"tags":[102,317,129],"business_type":[2],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[176],"imagine_tag":[177],"coauthors":[494],"class_list":["post-14890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology-innovation","tag-ai","tag-automation","tag-grow-accounting-practice","business_type-accountants"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Daniel Heathcote","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1393600878.jpg","imagine_tags":{"177":"Accountants"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice 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