AI has become the new buzzword in professional services—but for accounting firms, its adoption carries both opportunity and risk. Some firms are already weaving AI into their workflows; others are still experimenting quietly behind the scenes. Regardless of where your firm falls, one question looms large:
How should you tell your clients you’re using AI, if at all?
It’s a fair question. Transparency builds trust, but it also opens the door to new expectations. Once the genie is out of the lamp, you can’t put it back. If you announce AI adoption without forethought, the next question from clients will be: “Great—so how is this efficiency being passed down to me? Are my prices lower?”
If your firm is considering communicating its AI usage externally, here are three strategic paths to consider before you make that move.
1. Pass on some savings, then grow with scale
If your AI deployment has truly driven measurable time or cost savings, one path is to pass along part of that benefit to clients. This could mean more competitive pricing or faster turnaround times that deliver more value at the same price. Then with expanded capacity, you can more than recoup the costs by going after new business, or increasing revenue per client with cross-sold services.
Pros:
- Builds goodwill and transparency with clients.
- Positions the firm as efficient and client-first.
- Can help win new clients or increase client retention.
Cons:
- Risks eroding margins if pricing is reduced too aggressively.
- May set an expectation that technology improvements always result in lower prices.
- Requires careful communication to avoid undervaluing expertise.
Best practice: You can recoup some of the efficiency gains by passing it through as a Technology Fee, but in my opinion this is just a band-aid to a true pricing transformation. If you choose this path, emphasize capacity and consistency gains, not just cost cuts—and reinvest the savings into growth or innovation.
2. Use AI to power new advisory offerings
Another approach is to couple AI efficiencies with higher-value advisory services. Instead of lowering prices, firms can expand what they deliver—leveraging newfound capacity to move further up the value chain.
Examples:
- Forecasting and scenario modeling for clients’ cash flow or profitability.
- Proactive KPI dashboards that surface risks before they become issues.
- Advanced tax planning simulations that help clients evaluate different filing strategies.
Pros:
- Moves firm up-market into advisory work.
- Creates new revenue streams without increasing headcount.
- Reinforces the firm’s strategic role as a business advisor.
Cons:
- Requires training and meaningful upskilling of staff.
- Advisory work often demands new processes and pricing models.
- Clients may not want or need advisory services.
Best practice: Frame AI as the engine behind insight-driven advisory, not a behind-the-scenes cost reducer.
3. Reframe AI as a modernization and quality investment
A third path is to position AI adoption as a modernization investment—a necessary step to continue providing excellent service as tax codes, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements grow more complex. Rather than a cost-saving initiative, this approach highlights AI as a tool to maintain quality and responsiveness without raising prices for clients.
AI-powered automation and data analysis can help ensure consistency, accuracy, and timeliness even as client needs and compliance burdens increase. In this framing, the firm’s investment in AI becomes a commitment to keeping pace with complexity and preserving value for clients.
Pros:
- Reinforces the firm’s long-term commitment to quality and compliance.
- Shows clients the firm is proactively investing to manage increasing complexity.
- Builds confidence that service levels will stay high without added cost.
Cons:
- Harder to link to immediate ROI or visible client-facing improvements.
- May require clear examples to make the modernization story tangible.
- Could sound defensive if not paired with real evidence of improved outcomes.
Best practice: Focus messaging on stability, accuracy, and value preservation. Clients appreciate firms that invest to stay ahead of complexity rather than passing on costs.
Final thoughts
AI disclosure is not a one-size-fits-all decision. Some firms will keep it quiet until they’ve proven internal ROI; others will lean into it as a differentiator. The right answer depends on your firm’s brand, maturity, and client base.
Before announcing your use of AI, make sure you’ve thought through the downstream implications—pricing, positioning, and value narrative. Once you tell clients you’re seeing efficiency gains from AI, you can’t walk it back.
Handled thoughtfully, though, AI can be both a competitive advantage and a trust-building opportunity. The key is to align your message with your firm’s broader strategy—so that clients see not just what’s changing behind the scenes, but how you bring them more value.
