What happens when AI starts cutting audit bills? Blake and David unpack KPMG’s push for a 14% fee cut from Grant Thornton, Botkeeper’s shutdown versus Pilot’s “AI accountant,” and how agents like Claude are already doing real client work. You’ll hear why entry-level roles are vanishing, what tax pros need to know about the IRS’s new e-payment push and Tax Pro Account upgrades, plus a fun detour: DJ John Summit’s Tax Day album.SponsorsUNC - http://accountingpodcast.promo/uncOnPay - http://accounti...
What happens when AI starts cutting audit bills? Blake and David unpack KPMG’s push for a 14% fee cut from Grant Thornton, Botkeeper’s shutdown versus Pilot’s “AI accountant,” and how agents like Claude are already doing real client work. You’ll hear why entry-level roles are vanishing, what tax pros need to know about the IRS’s new e-payment push and Tax Pro Account upgrades, plus a fun detour: DJ John Summit’s Tax Day album.
Sponsors
UNC - http://accountingpodcast.promo/unc
OnPay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/onpay
Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/cas
Chapters- (00:00) - KPMG's AI-Driven Audit Fee Reduction
- (00:28) - Welcome to the Accounting Podcast
- (00:53) - Blake's First Time at the Waste Management Open
- (02:00) - John Summit: From Accountant to DJ Superstar
- (04:39) - John Summit's Accounting-Themed Album
- (09:44) - Earmark CPE: Easy CPE Credits for Accountants
- (12:34) - The Rise and Fall of AI Bookkeeping Startups
- (24:48) - Pilot's Autonomous AI Accountant
- (26:50) - Partnering with Accounting Firms
- (29:59) - AI in Bookkeeping and Accounting
- (33:33) - Impact of AI on Accounting Jobs
- (40:27) - Trump's $10 Billion Lawsuit Against the IRS
- (44:40) - IRS Updates and Tax Pro Accounts
- (49:53) - KPMG's AI Acquisition
- (51:14) - Airlines Save Millions with Weight Loss Drugs
- (52:58) - Conclusion and CPE Information
Show Notes
KPMG pressed its auditor to pass on AI cost savings
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/02/06/kpmg-pressed-its-auditor-to-pass-on-ai-cost-savings/
Botkeeper is Closing Its Doors
https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/02/09/botkeeper-is-closing-its-doors/177677/
Botkeeper shuts down
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/botkeeper-shuts-down
Anthropic AI Tool Sparks Selloff From Software to Broader Market
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-03/legal-software-stocks-plunge-as-anthropic-releases-new-ai-tool
AI fears pummel software stocks: Is it 'illogical' panic or a SaaS apocalypse?
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/06/ai-anthropic-tools-saas-software-stocks-selloff.html
Pilot launches fully autonomous AI bookkeeper
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/pilot-launches-fully-autonomous-ai-bookkeeper
Pilot Rolls Out Fully Autonomous AI Accountant
https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/02/04/pilot-rolls-out-fully-autonomous-ai-accountant/177453/
Pilot Unveils AI Accountant
https://pilot.com/blog/pilot-unveils-ai-accountant-a-major-leap-toward-artificial-general-intelligence-in-accounting
Startup Accrual Officially Launches with $75M in Funding to Bring AI-Native Automation to Accounting
https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/02/05/startup-accrual-officially-launches-with-75m-in-funding-to-bring-ai-native-automation-to-accounting/177600/
Tax platform Accrual launches with AI automation support for all forms
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/tax-platform-accrual-launches-with-ai-automation-support-for-all-forms
Accrual Launches with $75 Million to Bring AI-Native Automation to Accounting
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260205968515/en/Accrual-Launches-with-$75-Million-to-Bring-AI-Native-Automation-to-Accounting
Goldman Sachs leads $75 million funding round for Fieldguide, an AI-native accounting and audit platform
https://fortune.com/2026/02/02/goldman-sachs-fieldguide-accounting-cpa-ai-software-platform-venture-capital/
Fieldguide Raises $75M Series C Round to Boost Audit and Advisory Firms' Agentic AI Capabilities
https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/02/02/fieldguide-raises-75m-series-c-round-to-boost-audit-and-advisory-firms-agentic-ai-capabilities/177323/
Fieldguide Raises $75M Series C from Goldman Sachs to Help Audit and Advisory Firms Grow with Agentic AI
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/04/3232133/0/en/Pilot-Unveils-AI-Accountant-A-Major-Leap-Toward-Artificial-General-Intelligence-in-Accounting.html
Trump, two sons, Trump Org sue IRS, Treasury for $10 billion over tax records leak
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/29/trump-sues-irs-and-treasury-for-10-billion-over-leak-of-tax-records.html
Trump sues IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion over leaked tax records
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-sues-irs-treasury-department-10-billion-leaked-tax-records-rcna256626
Trump Sues Treasury and IRS for $10 Billion Over Tax Data Leak
https://www.taxnotes.com/featured-news/trump-sues-treasury-and-irs-10-billion-over-tax-data-leak/2026/01/30/7txmz
KPMG Brings Aboard AI Development Platform PrivateBlok
https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2026/02/09/kpmg-adds-ai-development-platform-privateblok/177729/
KPMG acquires PrivateBlok, team will support AI developments
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/kpmg-acquires-privateblok-team-will-support-ai-developments
KPMG Bolsters AI Product Development Function...
