Table of contents
- Introduction
- Southeast Asia leads the way in foundational AI adoption
- Barriers persist, but mindset is the differentiator
- Investment priorities are shifting toward intelligence
- A call to action: embrace, invest, evolve
Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a buzzword in the accounting profession — it’s business as usual. Across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, firms are embracing AI not only to streamline operations but also to future-proof their practices. According to the 2025 Future Ready Accountant report from Wolters Kluwer, AI adoption has accelerated rapidly in APAC, especially in Southeast Asia (SEA), where usage levels surpass those in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).
This trend reflects more than just tech curiosity. APAC firms are making strategic choices to embed AI into their day-to-day workflows, and the results are beginning to speak for themselves.
Southeast Asia leads the way in foundational AI adoption
While the APAC region leads in AI adoption compared to firms globally, adoption within APAC is not uniform. The 2025 Future Ready Accountant report reveals that SEA firms are significantly ahead in using AI for foundational tasks. More than half of SEA firms currently use AI for tax, accounting, and audit research (53%), compared to just 36% in ANZ. SEA firms are also more likely to use AI assistants like Microsoft Copilot (49% vs. 37%), automate bookkeeping (47% vs. 38%), and integrate AI into document summarisation (50% vs. 36%).
The implication? SEA firms aren’t waiting for the perfect AI use case; they’re leveraging what’s available to increase efficiency, reduce workload, and improve the client experience.
“Technologies such as AI, blockchain, and cloud computing are transforming how firms operate, making processes more efficient and effective, particularly in changing regulatory environments,” said Lydia Tsen, New Zealand Government Affairs Leader for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. “These forces matter because they drive innovation and improve efficiency.”
Barriers persist, but mindset is the differentiator
Interestingly, the top barriers to AI implementation and expansion are largely consistent across firms, regardless of whether a firm is high-growth, cloud-based, or tech-forward, and even across most firm sizes. The most common concerns include privacy and security risks, lack of staff experience, and data quality concerns.
What sets the frontrunners apart is their mindset. With over 80% of APAC firms regularly using AI in their professional role, it suggests that rather than letting risk hold them back, they’ve decided the benefits of AI outweigh the initial learning curve. This is echoed in findings from other global regions in the 2025 Future Ready Accountant report, which show that high-growth and tech-forward firms are more willing to “test and learn” with AI, even when faced with the same concerns as their peers.
“Investment in Artificial Intelligence has had the most significant impact in the last 12 months,” said Liam Telford, National Tax Technical Director, RSM Australia. “Whilst a cautious approach has appropriately been adopted, the incremental benefits of adoption are palpable, and the augmented model of service delivery has been mutually beneficial in terms of both effectiveness and efficiency.”
Investment priorities are shifting toward intelligence
Looking ahead, AI investment in APAC is moving beyond basic automation. When asked about future implementations, firms across the region expressed strong interest in predictive analytics and compliance risk detection. More than 50% percent of firms say they are likely or very likely to implement AI that can identify clients that aren’t meeting compliance obligations, and an equal proportion are focused on generating predictive insights based on client data.
Even in Australia and New Zealand, where foundational adoption lags slightly, firms show ambitious plans for AI integration: 62% say they are likely or very likely to adopt tools that generate predictive insights, and 60% plan to implement AI for strategic decision-making.
“AI will never replace the services provided by tax and accounting professionals,” noted Diana Winfield, Associate Director of Content Solutions in APAC for Wolters Kluwer, “but the risk is that those firms that don’t adopt AI technology will be replaced by the firms that do as those firms can offer enhanced services that better meet client expectations.”
A call to action: embrace, invest, evolve
The message is clear: AI in APAC accounting has moved from a possibility to a necessity. Firms that have already integrated AI into daily operations are pulling ahead, not because their barriers are smaller, but because their ambitions are bigger.
For the rest of the market, the time to act is now. Begin with foundational tools, invest in training, and build a roadmap that moves from task automation to strategic insight. But as firms accelerate adoption, they must also navigate rising scrutiny from regulatory bodies. For example, the Australian Tax Office (ATO)has emphasised the need for responsible AI use and the human accountability behind AI-assisted decisions. As highlighted in The Price of Knowledge, AI is only as trustworthy as the professionals guiding it, and firms must embed transparency, ethics, and oversight into every stage of adoption.
The future of AI in accounting won’t be defined by technology alone; it will be shaped by the professionals bold enough to use it well.
To read more about APAC AI adoption trends and more, download the Wolters Kluwer 2025 Future Ready Accountant report.
