The Accounting Podcast

Can AI Replace “Thought Leaders”? A 2026 Reality Check

Jan 8, 2026
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ANECDOTE

Small Business Owner Using AI As CFO

  • Mike Salvatore used ChatGPT and Google Notebook LM to run cost-of-goods analysis every three weeks for five small businesses.
  • He calls it "essentially my CFO" and reduced staff like bar managers as a result.
INSIGHT

AI Unlocks Previously Unpriced Advisory

  • AI enables services that many small-business accountants never offered because they were too time-consuming.
  • That creates both a threat and an opportunity for firms to package AI-driven narratives and oversight.
ADVICE

Sell AI Analysis With Human Oversight

  • Use AI to generate first-pass analysis, then charge clients for oversight and verification.
  • Add value by checking outputs and preventing bad decisions from hallucinations.
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