The AI Squeeze: How Automation Is Compressing the Bottom and Expanding the Top of the Profession

AI isn’t killing accounting. It’s reorganizing it.

In this episode, Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton dig into how automation is reshaping the profession... compressing the repetitive, low-value work at the bottom and expanding opportunities at the top where strategy, storytelling, and human relationships live.

This isn’t about fear. It’s about leverage. The smartest firms are using AI to scale faster, deepen client connections, and free up time for higher-value work.

You’ll also hear how CountingWorks PRO is leading the shift with AI-driven systems that personalize client experiences, automate proposals, and help five-person firms perform like twenty.What You’ll Learn:

Why the traditional accounting pyramid is flipping and what’s next
What tasks AI can handle today and where humans still need to lead
How to “trust but verify” your AI workflows
The four biggest risks firms need to manage
Why the next two years are for scale, not survival
How AI is changing the path for young professionals

Favorite Quotes:

“AI isn’t replacing people... it’s replacing inefficiency.”
“AI doesn’t make you less human... it gives you time to be more human.”
“The real disruption won’t come from AI... it’ll come from the firms who learn how to lead with it.”

Listen if you want to:

Understand what’s really happening with AI in accounting
Combine automation and expertise for smarter growth
Build a modern firm that thrives on change

Learn more: CountingWorks PRO

Subscribe: The Growth Minded Accountant on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Transcript

We know that everyone digests information differently. That’s why we’re now sharing the full transcript of each episode of The Growth Minded Accountant right here on the CountingWorks PRO blog. Whether you’re short on time, like to scan and highlight, or simply prefer reading over listening, you can catch up on every conversation at your own pace.

Each week, we cover topics that matter most to tax and accounting professionals—from AI and automation to marketing strategies, firm growth, and client relationships. Scroll down to read the full episode, or subscribe to the podcast to listen on the go.