AI, automation, and analytics: The top tech investments powering high-growth accounting firms

Why AI, automation, and integration are central to the tech strategies of high-growth accounting firms

Accounting firms are under increasing pressure to deliver more value, more quickly, and with fewer resources. Clients expect seamless digital experiences. Talent remains difficult to attract and retain. At the same time, the complexity of tax and accounting work continues to grow, with firms expected to deliver more insight, not just compliance.

In response, firms are investing in technology, but not in the same way.

According to the 2025 Future Ready Accountant Report, successful firms are building connected, intelligent technology environments that directly support growth, efficiency, and better decision-making, aligning with their strategic priorities. High-growth firms, in particular, are taking a more deliberate approach by prioritizing solutions that work together, scale with the business, and unlock new ways to serve clients.

Automation and AI: Freeing capacity and enabling smarter work

Automation and AI remain at the center of technology investment, but their role is evolving.

According to report data, AI is no longer emerging; it is embedded in day-to-day operations. Most firms are using AI regularly, and adoption has accelerated rapidly over the past year.

For high-growth firms, this shift is practical. AI and automation are helping them address immediate operational challenges while also opening the door to more advanced capabilities. AI is a growth lever: 70% of high-growth firms use AI at least weekly, and 87% plan to increase investment.

Today, firms are using AI to:

• Automate routine actions and reduce manual workload
• Summarize complex tax scenarios and legislation
• Support tax, audit, and accounting research
• Streamline document processing and data entry

These are not experimental use cases; they are core workflow enhancements. Many of the most valued capabilities among firms today are directly tied to automation and AI-driven efficiency, including workflow optimization and automated data collection.

At the same time, firms are beginning to push beyond efficiency. Increasingly, AI is being used to generate insights, identify client opportunities, and support advisory work. Tools like CCH Axcess™ Intelligence and CCH Axcess™ Advisor reflect this shift, helping firms move from reactive service delivery to more proactive, data-driven engagement.

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Where firms are investing in technology next

One of the clearest updates from the Future Ready Accountant report is where firms are planning to invest next.

Rather than focusing on isolated tools, firms are prioritizing solutions that enable deeper insights, seamless integration, and scalable innovation. The most commonly planned investments for the next 12 months center around:

• AI-enabled tools (47%)
• Workflow automation (47%)
• Data analytics and business intelligence (44%)
• API utilities (44%)
• Cybersecurity upgrades (42%)

These priorities show that firms are not just investing in efficiency; they are building a foundation for more intelligent, connected, and scalable operations that inspire confidence in future growth.

In practice, these investments are designed to:

• Reduce manual work and streamline workflows
• Improve the accuracy and accessibility of data
• Enable more proactive, insight-driven client service
• Strengthen security as firms adopt more digital and cloud-based tools

This reflects a broader move away from standalone solutions toward more connected technology ecosystems. Firms are increasingly focused on reducing friction across the entire engagement lifecycle — from data intake and processing to final delivery and client interaction.

As firms continue to evolve, these investments are laying the groundwork not just for efficiency, but for more scalable, data-driven growth.

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Workflow automation: Streamlining core processes

Automation of workflows remains one of the most practical and impactful areas of investment.

Firms are prioritizing tools that help them standardize and streamline processes, particularly in areas where manual work has historically slowed things down. This includes tax preparation, document collection, and engagement tracking.

The goal is straightforward: reduce time spent on repetitive tasks and improve consistency across engagements.

Common areas where firms are applying automation include:

• Automating tax return preparation and review workflows
• Standardizing document collection and routing
• Automating financial statement generation and reporting
• Tracking engagement progress and deadlines

These improvements directly address one of the profession’s most persistent challenges: completing work accurately and on time. As firms scale, the ability to rely on consistent, automated processes becomes even more important.

Solutions such as CCH Axcess™ Tax support these efforts by embedding automation into core workflows, helping firms improve efficiency without adding unnecessary complexity.

Client collaboration: Redefining the experience

Client expectations continue to shape how firms invest in technology. Today’s clients expect digital-first interactions that are fast, secure, and easy to navigate.

Firms are responding by investing in tools that simplify collaboration and reduce delays. Many of these tools are not new, but they are now more tightly integrated into core workflows.

High-growth firms are prioritizing:

• Secure client portals for communication and document sharing
• Digital document collection tools to reduce back-and-forth
• Integrated communication tools that keep conversations tied to the work

These capabilities help streamline engagements and improve responsiveness. Technology is already proving effective in this area, with most firms reporting that their systems facilitate document exchange and client interaction successfully.

Solutions like CCH Axcess™ Client Collaboration bring these elements together, helping firms deliver a more seamless and professional client experience.

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Data and analytics: Powering smarter advisory

As firms handle increasing volumes of data, the focus is shifting from collection to utilization.

High-growth firms are treating data as a strategic asset. Rather than simply storing information, they are investing in tools that help them analyze and act on it. High-growth firms are more likely to use predictive models (29% vs. 24% overall) to anticipate client needs and automated alerts (27% vs. 24%).

Capabilities they’re investing in include:

• Automated data ingestion and extraction
• Real-time dashboards and reporting
• Predictive analytics and modeling
• Alerts that identify client opportunities

These investments are closely tied to the rise of advisory services. As firms expand beyond compliance work, the ability to generate timely, relevant insights becomes essential.

The Future Ready Accountant report highlights that firms are increasingly using data to personalize services and uncover advisory opportunities. This represents a fundamental shift in how firms deliver value by moving from reporting on the past to guiding future decisions.

For more on how AI supports this transition, see Wolters Kluwer’s insights on the power of AI in tax and accounting.

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Cloud and integration: Enabling a connected tech stack

Behind all of these investments is a common foundation: cloud-based, integrated systems. Among high-growth firms, 19% have connected 75% or more of their systems, compared to 14% of firms overall. This deep integration allows them to respond quickly to change and deliver more consistent, data-informed service.

Firms are increasingly prioritizing technology environments that enable seamless data flow across tools. This reduces duplication, improves accuracy, and enables more advanced capabilities such as automation and AI.

The most valued technology capabilities today reflect this need for integration and efficiency. Firms are placing a high priority on:

• Integrating systems for workflow optimization
• Automating client data and document collection
• Supporting real-time access to information

This reinforces an important point. While individual tools matter, the real value lies in how they work together.

Platforms like CCH Axcess™ are designed to support this kind of connected ecosystem, helping firms manage workflows, data, and client interactions more effectively.

How tech investment priorities vary by firm size

While the overall direction of technology investment is consistent, priorities shift based on firm size and complexity.

Smaller firms tend to focus on efficiency and ease of use. With limited staff, they prioritize tools that reduce manual work and improve day-to-day productivity.

Mid-size firms are more focused on scaling operations. As workloads grow, they invest in systems that standardize processes and support collaboration across teams.

Larger firms operate in more complex environments and typically prioritize advanced capabilities, including AI, data analytics, and deeper system integration.

While these priorities vary, they reflect a common goal: aligning technology with each firm’s stage of growth. Across firm sizes, priorities generally break down as follows:

• Small firms: Workflow automation, client portals, and document management
• Mid-size firms: Integrated systems, collaboration tools, and process standardization
• Large firms: AI, data analytics, enterprise integration, and staff training

These investments don’t exist in isolation. They reinforce each other, particularly as firms move toward more integrated, data-driven operations.

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Where firms still face challenges

Even as firms increase their technology investments, many challenges remain. In most cases, the issue isn’t access to tools — it’s getting the full value out of them.

One of the biggest gaps is turning data into actionable insights. Firms are collecting more data than ever, but many still struggle to turn it into actionable insight. This becomes even more important as firms expand into advisory services.

Staffing and technology adoption are also closely linked. While automation and AI help reduce manual work, they increase the need for technical skills. Firms are placing greater emphasis on upskilling, while employees expect better tools to do their jobs effectively.

At the same time, firms continue to face broader operational challenges, including:

• Keeping up with evolving tax laws and regulatory changes
• Managing rising client expectations for speed and personalization
• Navigating pricing pressures and competition
• Balancing growth with operational efficiency

Data security remains an ongoing concern as firms adopt more advanced and cloud-based technologies. Ultimately, these challenges highlight that technology alone is not enough — firms must also align their tools with the right processes, strategy, and talent to fully realize their value.

The future-ready path forward

The accounting firms that will lead the next decade aren’t the biggest or even the most established. They are the ones willing to strategically adopt and integrate the right technology, develop their people, and reimagine how they deliver value.

Whether you’re just starting to explore automation or you’re building out a full tech stack for scale, Wolters Kluwer provides solutions designed to support firms at every stage of this journey, helping to:

• Improve efficiency
• Boost security
• Enhance client experiences
• And grow profitably

Explore the full Future Ready Accountant report to dive deeper into the trends, benchmarks, and technology strategies high-growth firms are using to lead the future of the profession.