- 70% of UK small businesses turn to AI for financial advice before their accountants
- Most business managers are dissatisfied with the current accounting services
- Customers want more personal, proactive advice
Almost three-quarters (70%) of UK SMEs say they often or always act on AI-generated financial, tax or business advice before consulting their accountant, according to a new report of 500 UK SMEs commissioned by Ravical.
Conversely, only 5% rarely or never do this, underscoring how widespread AI adoption is when it comes to seeking advice.
Answering tax questions, responding to financial planning queries, servicing business strategies and resolving day-to-day accounting issues are among the most common use cases, where accountants are instead used to validate AI-generated advice as a secondary layer.
SMEs prefer to ask AI before an accountant
In terms of the role of the human accountant, only a third of UK SMEs described their accountant as a true working partner who proactively contributes ideas and delivers strategic insight, which could be why business leaders have turned to AI – personalization as well as efficiency.
It’s clear that managers are not happy with their existing accountants, as 91% have considered switching in the past year due to a desire for more advice, faster responses, forward planning and proactivity.
Cost is actually not that much of an issue, with 92% saying they would be prepared to pay higher fees if accountants actually provided the quality of services they wanted.
While the report confirms that many are turning to AI in the first place, it also provides insight into why human accountants may be losing business where clients are still happy to spend their money with them.
Managers are not actually looking for compliance as much as forward consulting and proactive identification of opportunities.
“You become the second opinion and you have to be better and faster than the tool the client was already using,” noted CEO Joris Van Der Gucht.
Accountant expectations are evolving as AI automates compliance
But it’s not just business leaders who should turn to artificial intelligence to increase efficiency. Xero research revealed that UK accountants who use AI at work deliver results 31% faster.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) also found that 85% of accountants are willing to use AI, with four in five (79%) seeing their roles evolve into ‘data guardians’ – verifying AI-generated output and augmenting it with more personal context. Ravical found that basic compliance work is already being automated through AI, and the role of an accountant is evolving.
90% of SMEs believe that compliance work can be largely handled by artificial intelligence within the next few years, but 35% already see this as true today.
The role of AI in an accounting firm is to remove low value and administrative work so they can focus on judgement, strategy and advice.
The ICAEW report, published in April 2025, also recognizes the need for wider business advice and customer relations. It also addresses the continued role of humans in the profession—specifically, that human judgment remains essential. While SMEs are clearly happy to check AI for advice initially, trained professionals are clearly valued when the stakes are higher.
Rather than completely replacing human accountants, AI is mostly redefining what business leaders expect from their accountants. With routine compliance now considered either automated or near-automated, and many companies turning to AI for basic guidance, this could be good news for accountants.
Those who succeed are likely to be those who turn this time into more valuable, quality advice and relationships with their clients.
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