New data showing almost 20 percent of businesses have replaced entry-level accounting roles with artificial intelligence (AI), has prompted a warning from the industry’s peak body.
CPA Australia’s Business Investment and International Lead Gavan Ord said the group’s 2025 Business Technology Report found 19 per cent of businesses across the Asia-Pacific had reduced or ceased filling junior or entry-level accounting roles because of the introduction of AI tools, with the figure rising to 32 percent in mainland China.
Mr Ord said CPA Australia was warning businesses that an overreliance on technology could undermine long-term competitiveness.
He said businesses should strike an appropriate balance between technology and talent to maximise the value they receive from their investments, without losing equally valuable human skills.
“There is a clear link between AI adoption and successful business performance, but an overreliance on new technology could ultimately backfire.
“Harnessing AI for many routine and mundane tasks is improving business efficiencies and outcomes. This creates opportunities for businesses to invest in training their accounting and finance teams, including entry-level accountants, to perform higher-level and more complex strategic tasks.”
Mr Ord said businesses should not underestimate the importance of keeping people in the loop.
“Specialist human oversight remains essential. Turning over finance functions that require accuracy, assurance and verification to technology leads to elevated risks.
“We are now seeing many high-profile examples of businesses and organisations suffering financial and reputational damage because they have swung the balance too far in favour of poorly verified AI.”
He said the survey showed the proportion of businesses cutting entry-level accounting roles in Australia was currently lower than in other Asia-Pacific markets at eight percent, but the regional experience suggested this would swiftly increase as Australian businesses ramped up their investments in AI tools.
“Previous survey data shows that Chinese businesses have been ahead of Australia in adopting AI and automation,” he said.
“However, Australian businesses have now caught the AI bug. They are now the most likely among the surveyed markets to be planning AI investments in 2026, although automation remains unpopular.”
