58% of Small Firms Already Use AI

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Hey, Accounting Pros!

Welcome back to AI Accounting Daily, your #1 source for AI news in accounting.

Today, we've got TaxWise Online's Expert AI auto-populating W-2s and 1099s to turn prep into review time, Anthropic's 80% task-time reduction pointing to serious productivity gains, Gemini 3 leaping to the top of benchmarks and luring teams to speed tax and close workflows, and small businesses racing to put AI policies in place after risky data paste-ins. We're also tracking a consumer AI tax preparer pushing fees down and expectations up, hinting at what's next for firm service models.

Latest in Accounting AI

Small Businesses Add AI Policies To Protect Data

AI use is surging, often faster than policies to control it. A U.S. Chamber study says 58% of small businesses already tap tools like ChatGPT, sometimes pasting in client data, pricing, or even hiring decisions. The lawyers here frame AI policies as new basic controls.

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TaxWise Online Adds Expert AI Automation

TaxWise Online is getting an Expert AI upgrade. Wolters Kluwer is baking its proprietary AI layer into the platform so W‑2s and 1099s can auto‑populate returns, guidance flows in from CCH AnswerConnect, and referral tools surface cross‑sell opportunities. For high‑volume shops, the real shift is how much “prep time” turns into review and advisory time.

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Deduction Uses AI To Tackle CPA Shortage

Deduction raised $2.8M to launch Taylor, CPAI, an AI tax accountant for consumers. It files returns, answers questions by text or phone, and routes tricky issues to human CPAs. If taxpayers trust that model at far lower prep fees, patience for slow email chains shrinks.

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AI Applications

1. Hedy - automates payroll education and compliance tracking so accounting firms support clients with clear guidance, reduce liability risks, and strengthen HR advisory services.

2. Skillfully - assesses candidate skills via real‑world simulations so your firm hires smarter, lowers training time and builds a more capable junior team for advisory services.

3. Kick - automates your bookkeeping workflows so your firm standardises data, reduces manual reconciliation and unlocks more capacity for high-margin advisory services.

4. Aiwyn - automates payment matching and collections sequences to reduce cash flow delays, ensuring accurate bookkeeping and freeing time for strategic client advisory.

5. Pigment Connector - links Pigment’s AI planning platform with Google Sheets so your firm syncs live FP&A data, maintains accuracy and improves collaborative forecasting.

6. CCH Axcess Expert AI (Wolters Kluwer) - automates client collaboration and analytics so your firm generates practical insights faster, improves accuracy and delivers a more efficient tax experience.

Updates in AI

Anthropic Finds AI Cuts Task Time 80%

Anthropic analyzed 100,000 real Claude chats to estimate how AI changes daily work. Claude estimates 90‑minute tasks shrink by 80%, implying about 1.8% annual US labor productivity growth over the next decade. Audit teams now test what breaks.

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Gemini 3 Tops Benchmarks As Adoption Surges

Gemini 3 just jumped ahead. Google's new model tops leaderboards, beats OpenAI, and pulled 1 million developers into AI Studio in 24 hours. That power tempts teams to speed tax prep, close checklists, and reporting, yet few will abandon rival models overnight.

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AI Streamlines Recruiting While Humans Decide

Recruiting is automating, but not all the way. Columbus HR leaders use AI for applicant tracking and bulk outreach to cut admin time, yet insist on humans reading resumes and calling candidates. As accounting firms add AI into hiring, where judgment lives is contested.

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Prompt Ideas

Write Discovery Call Scripts for New Prospects

**Role:** You are a professional in an accounting firm creating resources, checklists, or scripts to streamline internal operations or client communication. **Action:** Write or generate a resource related to **Write Discovery Call Scripts for New Prospects** using clear, professional, and concise formatting. **Context:** - Audience: small accounting firm teams or clients - Goal: improve consistency, clarity, and professionalism - Tone: confident, professional, and approachable - Style: markdown format with bullet points, numbered lists, and headings - Output Length: 200–400 words