AI Training and Education for Accounting Professionals

Editor’s Note: This article is part 3 of a 3-part series on the importance of AI education for Accounting Professionals. View all of the articles in this series here: AI Training for Accounting Professionals

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how accounting work is done, and many professionals are looking for training that fits smoothly into their daily routines. Academic programs offer a solid foundation, but many accountants want learning that feels practical and immediately useful. That’s where professional AI education comes in. It gives accountants space to try new tools, apply them to real tasks, and build the kind of skills that actually matter in client work.

Training designed for working professionals has been growing fast. Firms see how important it is to have learning options that are simple, clear, and accessible. These programs break down how AI shows up in the work accountants do every day such as client communication, internal processes, planning, analysis, and general firm operations. The goal is straightforward: help people use AI in ways that make sense, build confidence, and prepare teams for expectations that are evolving quickly.

The purpose of professional AI training isn’t to turn accountants into developers. Its purpose is to help accounting professionals understand what AI is doing, where it can be helpful, where it has limits, and how it can support better workflows across the firm. This kind of learning meets professionals where they are and gives them room to grow at a pace that works for their schedules and the needs of their firms.

Hands-on learning designed for daily practice 

TB Academy 

TB Academy provides hands-on learning that guides professionals through tasks such as automation, communication, and workflow improvement. This structure supports accountants who want a clear understanding of how to use AI responsibly and productively.

A participant described the experience this way. “We were looking for practical AI training that would help our team understand how to use it safely, recognize its capabilities, and spark ideas for real use cases. The courses delivered exactly that, as our team now feel confident, informed, and empowered to use AI as a tool that enhances their work.” – Eve Pickett, Business Development and Operations Manager

Another student shared specific changes that occurred after taking the course. "I chose to take this course because I wanted a more holistic understanding about what is available and most efficient for our firm. I learned so much that I was able to implement.” – Keila Hill-Trawick, Founder and CEO, Little Fish Accounting

SmartAccountant.ai 

SmartAccountant.ai focuses on helping accountants understand how AI fits into real client and firm workflows. The instruction covers AI fundamentals, prompting, platform comparisons, and practical implementation techniques.

One participant described it this way. "Jan Haugo’s AI Architect class is a game changer for accounting professionals. The training shows exactly how to utilize AI in your firm.” – Laurie L. O’Neil, Innovative Financial Services

Another student shared a clear example of how the course improved day-to-day work. Linda Ferris explained that "What once took hours, now takes minutes" when preparing billing information for QuickBooks.

These options demonstrate that AI learning is available in many forms, from academic programs to hands-on training.

Events that support AI learning

Conferences also play an important role in how accountants learn about AI, especially when they want to hear directly from peers who are already trying these tools in real life. The Scaling New Heights conference is a great example. This conference gives professionals a chance to explore new tools, see real workflows in action, and hear how other firms are using AI in meaningful and practical ways. The sessions focus on emerging trends, implementation tips, and honest stories about what’s working and what isn’t.

AI education has been growing inside the conference each year, and Scaling New Heights 2026 takes that even further. Attendees will have access to sessions that range from beginner-friendly sessions to more advanced skill-building. The event will also feature well-known keynote speakers, including Daniel Susskind, who studies the future of professional work and how technology is changing skilled industries. His perspective helps connect the dots between day-to-day AI use and the bigger picture of where the profession is headed.

Another benefit of Scaling New Heights is what happens between sessions. The hallway conversations, lunch discussions, and casual exchanges often end up being just as valuable as the formal sessions. Professionals compare notes, share what has worked inside their firms, and talk openly about the challenges they’re still figuring out. These kinds of conversations tend to spark useful ideas and make it easier for attendees to bring what they’ve learned back to their own teams. When people learn together, confidence builds faster and applying the knowledge becomes much more natural.

From training to real impact

Professional AI education helps accountants use new tools in a way that genuinely supports their work. Training teaches them how to review AI results, check for accuracy, and adjust outputs so they fit real client needs. It also helps them see which tasks can be automated and which ones still need human judgment.

Professionals learn how to:

• Build decision-support models
• Navigate governance and risk topics
• Automate routine steps
• Explain insights clearly to clients

These skills make day-to-day work smoother and help firms respond faster, communicate better, and handle complex situations with more confidence. Client service naturally improves when teams know how to use AI well.

AICPA’s call to action for higher education

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) note that the accounting and finance profession has relied on a curated body of knowledge for many years. With the growing influence of artificial intelligence, both groups explain that the profession needs to consider how to prepare students for practice and support current members as expectations change.

To read the full report, you can access that here: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Knowledge and Educational Processes

Building an AI-ready firm

AI learning makes the biggest difference when it becomes part of everyday firm life. Start with providing regular opportunities to learn and try things out. Encourage the team to explore certificates, short courses, or micro-credentials, and bring AI topics into team discussions so learning feels natural rather than separate.

A few ways firms can build this foundation:

• Upskill current staff. Offer access to training and make time for ongoing learning.
• Hire for AI awareness. Candidates with exposure to AI or analytics can help raise the team’s skill level.
• Collaborate with universities. Partnerships bring fresh ideas into the firm and help shape real-world learning.

Leadership is what makes this stick. When leaders take part in the learning themselves and show that experimentation is encouraged, the team tends to follow. It removes the pressure of “getting it right” and replaces it with curiosity.

Leaders can support this shift by:

• Sharing their own learning experiences
• Creating space for small pilot projects
• Talking openly about what’s working and what isn’t

AI becomes less intimidating and much easier to put into practice when leadership sets the tone. The firm grows with the technology instead of scrambling to catch up.

The competitive edge for accounting firms

Firms that invest in AI education give themselves a huge advantage, both in how they serve clients and how they handle day-to-day work. Teams can sort through information more easily when they understand how AI fits into their workflow. They can troubleshoot with more confidence and give clients guidance that feels thoughtful and accurate.

Professionals who know how to work with AI can determine when a tool’s output is reliable, recognize which tasks are worth automating, and explain insights in a way that strengthens advisory conversations. Those skills naturally build trust and help create stronger, long-lasting client relationships.

Starting this learning now puts firms on a clearer path forward. The firms that make AI education part of their strategy will be the ones shaping how the profession grows in the years ahead.