Young accountants entering the sector are confident in their artificial intelligence (AI) skills, but a lack of soft skills is creating a new workplace divide. Findings from financial tech platform Intuit QuickBooks, based on responses from over 1,000 early-career accountants and finance professionals, show that almost all (90%) believe they will be better equipped to use AI than their future managers or senior colleagues.
More than half (53%) of respondents also believe their future career success will depend on AI. Only 12% think they should wait for senior managers to lead AI adoption.
Despite their AI fluency, this generation of professionals reportedly lacks soft skills. Cecilia van Eeden, head of talent development at accountancy firm Moore Kingston Smith, stated that while younger talent expects to use AI, the crucial skill is knowing when to rely on the tools and having the judgement to challenge their output. Many professional services businesses are now prioritising soft-skills training for junior team members, focusing on areas such as critical thinking, communication, and emotional intelligence.
Glenn Collins, head of technical and strategic engagement at ACCA UK, highlighted the importance of developing skills like critical thinking, sceptical validation, and contextual storytelling to mitigate risks such as automation bias and deskilling. He added that organisations need to ensure AI confidence is matched by responsible use to deliver meaningful value.