The Problem with Accounting AI and the Role of BPOs

Over 70% of leaders in finance and accounting, advisory and tax services, think that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will affect data-driven insights, according to the EY 2020 Global Tax and Transformation survey.

AI is widely used in businesses. Accountants don’t need to spend as much time on tedious, repetitive, and ultimately straightforward, but time-consuming tasks. The growing demand for more accurate and efficient accounting in both private and public corporations is driving up demand for AI in accounting.

According to the Acumen Research and Consulting report, the AI in accounting market size is anticipated to reach US$ 53,893 Million by 2030, with only US$ 1,511 Million allotted for 2021. The need for AI specialists and accountants is growing. AI will become more valuable in accounting.

Are you going to follow that trend? 

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

AI or Artificial Intelligence is the imitation of human intelligence in devices that have been designed to behave and think like humans. It is widely used to refer to a project that aims to create systems that possess intellectual capacity that are unique to humans. Such as the power to reason, find meaning, make generalizations, or learn from past mistakes.

AI aims to improve learning, reasoning, and perception through computers. It is currently applied in a variety of sectors, from healthcare to finance.

AI is based on the notion that human intelligence can be described in such a way that a computer can easily duplicate it and carry out tasks, no matter how straightforward or difficult they may be. 

Not every human activity can be performed by a robot. In reality, using a bot may complete a large portion of the high-volume task fast and accurately. A bot cannot learn good judgment or critical thinking, though. That is why tedious tasks such as content moderation is not really recommended for AI automation, yet.

HOW IS AI APPLIED NOWADAYS? 

AI is currently used widely in a variety of applications. Popular AI implementations include recommendation algorithms that suggest what you might like next and chatbots that can be found on websites.

AI is utilized for a variety of tasks, including language processing, driving autonomous cars, and gaming. AI is used to automate production processes, reduce various types of redundant cognitive labor, such as finance and accounting, and make forecasts about the weather and the economy.

3 BENEFITS OF AI IN ACCOUNTING

Here are some benefits of automation in the accounting industry. 

MANAGING THE CALCULATION OF TAXES AND EXPENSES

Top AI firms on the market can create algorithms that classify sales into the appropriate jurisdiction for managing tax calculations and automating tax collection.

Additionally, their software can assist you with employee cost reports and advise you on the best course of action based on the nature and scope of each expense.

ACCOUNTS PROCESSING

Because digital workflows are integrated into the algorithms, AI-powered invoice automation management systems can speed up the processing of invoices. They identify the correct accounting codes for each invoice and immediately apply them.

QUARTERLY OR MONTHLY CLOSING PROCEDURE

The business has more time to decide what to do with the numbers the quicker you can obtain accurate data. Algorithms are able to compile and reconcile data from a variety of sources.

10 HURDLES ACCOUNTING AI FACE AND HOW BPO CAN SOLVE THEM

As more businesses implement AI in finance and accounting, they encounter a set of challenges. We’ve listed below hurdles accounting AI encounters and how business process outsourcing (BPO) prevents them.  

#1) TRUST & CONFIDENCE

The ability to have confidence that a system’s decision-making process will nonetheless act in a way that supports human interests even if it cannot be understood is a crucial component of trustworthiness in AI accounting.

The majority of the time, people do not trust AI’s judgment. Because most individuals are unaware of how advanced algorithms operate or how they draw conclusions, this is the case.

The greatest BPO analytics available today monitor operations in real-time and immediately alert users to potential issues. 

In order to guarantee efficiency, precision, and accuracy in data, BPO companies in the Philippines utilize cloud-based accounting software. 

#2) PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION

Another significant issue with AI accounting was found to be privacy and data protection. One of the most prominent causes of ethical worries is privacy. The usage of personal information by AI is advancing to a new level of strength and speed that may not be transparent to users or easily understandable as the technology develops and determines the sources of its data independently.

Since confidentiality is crucial in the BPO industry, BPO firms are subject to data protection laws and rules. Compliance to strict security measures ensure businesses that their data and sensitive information are protected and safe from threats. 

#3) TRANSPARENCY WITH REGARDS FINANCIAL REPORTS

Because it is regulated by SEC standards, management of financial disclosures continues to pose a problem for businesses of all sizes.

Neural networks, which serve as the foundation of AI accounting, are frequently referred to as “black boxes” because they are built using proprietary code and frameworks and are occasionally even implemented in discrete, opaque hardware devices, which software companies are reluctant to disclose to the general public.

Businesses that outsource their accounting tasks in the Philippines can guarantee a seamless transaction and compliance. BPO companies in the Philippines offer accounting outsourcing services, these compliance standards are properly documented, recorded, and reported for audits.

#4) CASH FLOW

Managing your cash flow takes up too much time and effort, and if not updated, this can pose a challenge in forecasting your cash flow. 

You can always outsource your finance and accounting tasks if you lack the necessary accounting expertise and time, and you can also talk about ways to increase your small business’s cash flow. 

You can keep track of the money going in and going out of your organization with the help of outsourcing companies.

#5) FEAR OF JOB LOSS

Fear of job loss has been heightened by the rise of AI as machines are expected to replace human workers in many fields. The use of AI in finance and accounting is subject to risk. As employees maneuver client IT systems to carry out audits, jobs have grown more complicated and specialized. In fact, technology has increased employment.

Despite the pandemic, BPO companies in the Philippines are helping ease the nation’s unemployment rate. Since BPO companies offer various outsourcing services, there is an endless selection up for grabs for employees. 

#6) EMPLOYEE RETENTION

Risks in Financial Reporting are increased by resignations and the lack of accountants. Shortage in staff means unrealistic workload and burnout that accounting professionals are scared of. 

This is no longer an issue for businesses that outsource their accounting tasks in the Philippines because outsourcing companies make sure to retain employees for your company. 

#7) FEAR OF BIAS JUDGMENT

Because CFOs doubt the recommendations provided by the “black box,” AI isn’t widely used in finance and accounting. The concern is that risk analysis produced by AI will result in erroneous positives or negatives. Sometimes, AI takes out important judgments like arising problems or risks out of the process. 

Running AI pilots simultaneously with standard techniques and comparing notes is crucial for this reason. With the help of BPO providers, biased judgments are prevented. 

#8) TAX LAW MODIFICATIONS

AI is utilized to anticipate collections and conduct audits as well. In the case selection stage, where it is used to identify fraud tendencies and avoid breaches through risk analysis.

With the new administration in the Philippines, changes in tax laws and regulations are inevitable. This affects accountants and tax analysts, since they’d have to incorporate the new tax provisions and revisions. 

When it comes to these issues, outsourcing tax services and accounting tasks in the Philippines is the ideal option. Aside from having staff that is skilled with these tax rules, outsourced personnel can also aid in digitizing accurate and accessible data using accounting software. This ensures a faster delivery and will help your internal team manage a challenging tax year.

#9) UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

There is no magic solution for accounting AI. Sometimes, if a process is in place but only works correctly 50% of the time, the person on the other end may have such a low level of faith in it that it is not even worthwhile to use AI. It is constantly required to be corrected.

Employees that primarily utilize accounting AI as a preliminary tool can better be able to tolerate errors while the system is being trained. 

#10) UPSKILLING

No matter how we feel about it, automation affects employees and is here to stay. The company and your staff will gain from improving current skills to take advantage of technology.

While your outsourcing company concentrates on equipping your outsourced employees, without doubt, your top objective should be upskilling your internal employees. With this, you can assume talent with enhanced abilities.

THE FUTURE OF ACCOUNTING AND AI

AI is increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, particularly in the accounting sector. It has the enormous potential to replace manual labor and free up human beings to pursue innovation and creativity.

AI offers accountants numerous options to increase their productivity, offer more insight, and benefit businesses more.

In the longer run, when machines progressively replace human decision-making processes, AI creates prospects for even more drastic change for the future of accounting. 

Another key point is that AI is still in its development, but it is already giving well-trained accountants the tools they need to add more value to their clients and employers.

CONCLUSION

There is a call for accounting educators to modify their thinking and build the necessary skills and competencies related to the smart technologies. This is because AI is already having an impact on and will continue to have an influence on the function of the accountant. 

Accounting is a tedious job, and some people even call it boring. But spending numerous hours crunching figures is not a simple task. There is no doubt that artificial intelligence will have a huge impact on the future of accounting. The implementation of any new technology is a significant transformation that affects jobs in the industry.

Applying AI to financial data and processes can be successful if you set reasonable expectations and use the same quality control procedures that workers must adhere to.

MAGELLAN SOLUTIONS CAN PROVIDE YOU TOP-NOTCH OUTSOURCING SERVICES AND ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

Magellan Solution makes the lives of accountants easier by utilizing automation.

Furthermore, we have all the comprehensive capabilities you’d want from a top-tier accounting system, but at a fair price. With 18 years of expertise in the field, we take great pride in offering only the best call center services. On top of that, we are an ISO-certified and HIPAA-compliant outsourcing company.

Give us a call and we’ll discuss your business needs.

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