Technology Conference - Virtual-2026 CPA Technology Conference Handout

2026 CPA Technology Conference Handout

Pdf Summary

The 2026 CPA Technology Conference focused on how AI, data, and digital transformation are reshaping the CPA profession. Key themes included emerging technology trends, data infrastructure, generative and agentic AI, software evolution, blockchain and digital assets, and the opportunities and risks these changes create for firms and businesses.<br /><br />John Higgins’ technology update emphasized that AI is the most transformative technology of the era, with major developments in cloud infrastructure, data centers, edge computing, quantum computing, agentic AI, and physical AI/robots. He highlighted that CPAs should prepare for greater automation, new advisory opportunities, and the need to adapt workflows, skills, and business models. He also reviewed ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Anthropic Claude, comparing their features, strengths, and enterprise use cases.<br /><br />Bryan Smith’s session, “From Numbers to Narratives,” stressed that CPAs are shifting from compliance-focused work to strategic advisory roles. The presentation outlined a practical data analysis process: collect, process, clean, explore, model, share, visualize, and use data to make decisions. It emphasized the importance of data storytelling, dashboards, analytics tools like Excel and Power BI, and building a data-driven culture. The core message was that analytics is essential for future relevance in accounting.<br /><br />Smith also presented “AI Powered Excel,” showing how Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can help CPAs learn Excel, build formulas, debug errors, clean data, analyze datasets, and automate repetitive tasks such as formatting or macro creation. He cautioned users to be specific, verify results, and protect confidential information.<br /><br />Higgins’ Microsoft 365 session showed how firms can unlock more value from Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, Planner, Forms, Bookings, Clipchamp, Power BI, Power Automate, and Copilot. The takeaway was that Microsoft 365’s power comes from integration, not isolated apps.<br /><br />Finally, Gaynor Meilke discussed AI-enabled marketing strategies for firms, including AI-assisted content creation, audience targeting, chatbots, video repurposing, and campaign measurement. She also warned about compliance, copyright, and the need to preserve human judgment in client-facing work.

Keywords

CPA Technology Conference

artificial intelligence

data analytics

digital transformation

generative AI

agentic AI

Microsoft 365

Power BI

Excel automation

AI marketing