“I’m a CPA, so totally used to rowdy crowds like this,” AI expert Jason Staats said at the outset of “The Rise of AI: Everything Is Fine, Probably,” an Oct. 23 session at the ASPPA Annual conference in National Harbor, MD. “I thought, ‘What’s cooler than being a CPA?’ An influencer for CPAs.”
How should we feel about artificial intelligence (AI) and how should we process it, he rhetorically asked. The session focused on the fear and fun (and unbelievable opportunity) AI affords.
Noting that ChatGPT is the fastest-growing consumer product ever and ChatGPT 4 the most anticipated software release of all time, he mentioned five essential points:
- Language models just got really good, really fast, and they are about to get much better.
- We are still a really long way from mainstream adoption; smartphone assistants may change this.
- Things are about to get weird, “like really weird. My wife could not tell the difference between the real me and the AI-generated me.”
- We’re already investing in personal assistants, and they’re long-term assets.
- Society’s relationship with technology is changing.
He added that things will get weird and complex, and it could be overwhelming and paralyzing. Where do we fit in? He offered insight.
- Good luck predicting the future.
- Be curious and open-minded.
- AI is an investment in yourself and also an investment in your clients.
- Learn in concert and community with others.
“I’m a millennial, so I’ll quote myself,” he said to laughter. “AI won’t replace accountants. Accountants leveraging AI will replace accounts not leveraging AI. I have no idea if it’s true, but it’s one of those really feel-good ideas.”
He concluded with practical tips about getting started and being “curious” with AI.
- Get ChatGPT and similar LLM apps.
- Security – The best advice is that friends don’t let friends overshare. We must be just as curious as in any other area of the cloud and need an AI policy document for our teams.
- AI can be used for writing, ideation, scripting, and finding in text.
- AI meeting assistants like Microsoft Co-Pilot, Teams Premium, Fireflies, Zoom AI
“There is a lot of existential dread surrounding AI, things will get weird, and you’re wondering what to do now,” Staats said. “The solution? Be friends with AI, collaborate with other people using AI, invest in personal growth to ultimately make you a better advisor.”
- Log in to post comments