Being Part of the AI-X Movement Starts with You
The next big movement in the profession is here. As in, right now.
What movement is that? The one I’ve been talking about for months: AI-X (Artificial Intelligence for Xcellence). Of course, no movement can get, well, moving without people behind it.
If you’re wondering what this means for you and your firm, here’s the bottom line: Leveraging the power of AI isn’t just a tech trend; it’s a critical strategy for growth, scale and future-proofing your business. Firms that embrace AI now will be the ones leading the pack as the industry shifts.
And here’s where it gets personal. Being p
art of the AI-X movement doesn’t start with your firm. It starts with you.
Lead thyself first
Before you can lead your firm into the AI-X era, you’ve got to lead yourself. That means getting comfortable with AI, building your confidence and figuring out how to use it as your own personal power tool.
Think of it like raising your “AIQ” — your Artificial Intelligence Quotient. This isn’t just about using AI for basic tasks; it’s about thinking strategically with AI, knowing how to prompt it to get deeper insights and treating it as a thought partner, not just a search engine.
It may sound a bit overwhelming, but that’s why it’s important to start small. To start with you.
Begin by just having basic conversations with the AI platform of your choice. Have it help you with brainstorming on a specific idea (e.g., How can I get remote employees more engaged and feel like part of the team?). Or challenge AI to stress-test your ideas (e.g., If I implement a monthly onsite retreat with incentives for employees to attend, what would that look like?
The more you experiment and simply play with AI, the more you’ll clearly see that AI is not here to replace your expertise, but it is here to amplify it. AI can provide you with data-driven insights, evaluate your performance and even boost your confidence when making decisions.
The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see the benefits. And trust me, it’s a killer combo when you pair your intuition and expertise with AI’s capabilities.
Lead your firm next
Once you’re comfortable with AI, you’re ready to lead your firm with confidence. The AI-X movement is all about advancing beyond “best practices” and into “next practices” — innovating, strategizing and setting your firm apart from the traditional norm.
Here’s how you can get your team on board:
Use AI to handle repetitive, manual tasks. Free up your team’s time and energy for higher-value work.
Encourage your staff to experiment with AI. The more they use it, the more efficient and innovative they’ll become.
Streamline your processes. AI can help you automate workflows, improve data analysis and keep your operations running smoothly.
Use AI to better support your clients. From enhanced advisory services to more proactive communication, AI gives you the tools to deliver more value than ever before.
Strategy is the secret sauce here. Automation is awesome, but it’s just one ingredient. You need a clear AI strategy that spells out every phase, from planning to execution, so you get firm-wide buy-in and enjoy a successful rollout. So don’t be afraid to use AI to help define that strategy. Remember, AI is your “thinking buddy,” so lean on it to help lay out your strategy and surface opportunities you might not have considered.
Change yourself, change your firm, change the profession!
Being part of the AI-X movement means doing your part to move the profession forward. It’s about merging your expertise with AI’s power to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
The future of accounting isn’t about clinging to the way things have always been done. It’s about embracing change, leading with confidence and helping your firm thrive in the age of Artificial Intelligence Xcellence. The movement starts with you, so take the first step and get in the game. From there, you can change your firm and add to the momentum of changing the profession for the better.
