When the concept of AI adoption comes up in office conversation, it might well prompt a rather stereotypical mental picture. Maybe you see a Silicon Valley-style 20-something, fresh out of university and full of big ideas. A digital native. A natural disrupter. Cold-brew coffee in one hand, TikTok in the other. However, new research reveals quite the opposite, writes Silverfin CEO Lisa Miles-Heal

Far from dragging their feet, accountants aged 55 and over are adopting AI faster than their younger colleagues.

For example, just 16% of 18-24-year-olds are using AI for client insights and reporting. Among those aged 55 or over, it is 50%. For compliance tasks, it is 39% versus 71% respectively.

These findings are not in line with the standard adoption curve we have been trained to expect: bright young things first, old guard last. Indeed, they stand in stark contrast to norms reported by Deloitte, which found that 62% of 16-34-year-olds have actively used AI, compared to only 14% of 55-75-year-olds.

This about-face opens up an important conversation about how we approach tech adoption at work – especially in a profession like accounting where digital transformation is high on the agenda.

It is a discussion that is worth having. UK accountancy firms could reclaim nearly £48,000 in billable time per accountant each year by modernising outdated systems and processes, addressing mounting administrative work and better harnessing technology to improve productivity.

What is driving this uptake?

That conversation starts with the question: why? Why are senior accountants using AI more frequently on the ground than their younger colleagues?

For one thing, they have decades of experience with manual processes – they are deeply aware of how much time can be spent on repetitive administration, reporting and compliance tasks. After a few decades of pouring time and energy into essential but unexciting tasks, it is quite possible that they are the most eager to bite AI’s figurative hand off. The option to redirect their effort towards more strategic work by handing regular tasks to AI certainly seems appealing.

There is also a high chance that they will be the most aware of looming talent shortages, both because they have watched the gradual drop-off in the number of people taking up accounting roles at entry level over decades, and because they are most likely to be in the meetings where the potential impact of recruitment challenges is discussed.

Many are future-proofing by learning how to automate tasks, in recognition of the fact that their businesses may soon be facing serious struggles to put bodies in roles.

Finally, they have a strong incentive to boost productivity. In an increasingly challenging economic climate, little is certain, and companies need to make the absolute most of their resources, staff and time.

As AI-enabled automation becomes ever more accessible and user-friendly, it makes sense that senior staff would push for take-up – it is a clear way to unlock staff time and energy for more growth-focused work, client service and strategic thinking.

Why are younger accountants lagging behind?

It is not just about the over-55s, though. We also need to consider the picture among those in their early 20s. The positives of senior uptake could hide a troubling possibility: are older accountants embracing AI at a faster rate because firms are limiting its use among younger, less-experienced professionals?

There is a scenario in which AI’s status as a relatively unknown quantity sees it being hived off from staff who have not had time to fully prove themselves.

There is an understandable caution – you might not want to jeopardise your company’s smooth operation by entrusting your greener staff with an equally new technology – but it risks becoming a major missed opportunity if taken too far. When the team is equipped to work more efficiently across all levels, the business as a whole can only benefit.

Likewise, there is a risk that these figures point towards gaps in training and access to AI upskilling. If accounting firms are to make the most of the opportunities presented by AI, they need to ensure that training is provided right across the organisation, and junior staff can also tap into streamlined working practices.

Boosting takeup, improving productivity

In summary, there is a real positive to these figures: the accounting sector is far from being held back by cautious leaders. But there is also a sting in the tail – a risk that AI is being prioritised for senior management and client-facing tasks, rather than workflow automation where it could drive the biggest efficiencies.

The take-home point for managers is that helping their teams adopt AI more effectively means easing the workload across the board. Where senior leaders set the pace, the rest of the organisation should quickly follow.