Botkeeper
From October 8-10, accounting professionals experienced a little bit of magic in Santa Rosa, California, as AI Unchained 2024, hosted by Botkeeper, brought together over 2,000 virtual and in-person attendees from across the country. The event cast a spell of innovation, insights, and electrifying conversations about how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are transforming Client Advisory Services (CAS) and the entire accounting profession. If ever there were a conference to make accountants believe in the magic of technology, this was it!
Kal Penn Captivates with Humor and Insight
The keynote from actor and producer Kal Penn, who sat for a conversation with Botkeeper CEO Enrico Palmerino, dazzled the crowd with a blend of humor, storytelling, and thought-provoking perspectives on the role of AI. In a twist few saw coming, Penn connected the dots between Hollywood and accounting (!), showing how technology can enhance creativity and connection across industries.
“If I’m sent a document, or a spreadsheet or whatever, I still need a ZOOM or a personal conversation on the phone, or a meeting to help... me walk through what all that means… that’s a huge component of what you and your teams do with all of your clients that I hope doesn’t go away, because I don’t know how I would be able to keep up.”
Penn left the audience thinking about AI in a completely new way, casting AI not as a replacement for human connection, but as a tool that can empower creativity and collaboration.
The Secret to CAS Growth: AI’s Magic Touch
Throughout the conference, industry leaders revealed the secrets to mastering Client Advisory Services with the help of AI. The message was clear: AI and automation aren’t just pulling tricks — they're the magic wands that can unlock serious growth and efficiency for CAS departments.
Kicking off the conference, Sharron Fuller and Nick Boscia led a powerful workshop on how firms can conjure more revenue while keeping overhead in check. Their practical strategies showed firms how to optimize their operations, providing a clear path to better client outcomes — no hocus-pocus required.
In the session Strategies for Success in CAS, a panel featuring Scott Soucy, Nina Chmura, Arna Erazo, and Gail Perry delivered deep insights into cracking the code of CAS. They demonstrated how AI can improve client communication, boost profitability, and help firms navigate the complexities of advisory services with ease. With AI on their side, firms can pull off the ultimate trick — delivering more value to clients while working smarter, not harder.
Peer-to-Peer Magic: Real Stories, Real Results
Some of the event’s most enchanting moments came from the peer-to-peer sessions, where real-world success stories were shared. Pat Morrell, Shannon Vincent, and Blake Meester delivered a spellbinding session, offering candid insights on scaling firms in today’s market. Their practical, relatable advice was the magic ingredient many attendees were searching for as they look to grow their own practices in a rapidly changing landscape.
Attendees also learned how to perform their own tricks from Enrico Palmerino, and Deepsky and Measure X Hack CEO W. Michael Hsu in their session Elevate or Die 2. The session shared with accounting professionals and firm owners how to scale their practices by adopting a strategic advisory role. Their discussion provided a blueprint to start offering basic CFO services to their clients, enhancing their service offerings and boosting profitability.
Transforming Firms: The Magic of Innovation
In a session that seemed to foretell the future, Chase Birky, Kenji Kuramoto, Tim Petrey, and Scotty Scarano wowed the audience with Dismantling the Pyramid Scheme. This session pulled back the curtain on how AI and automation are reshaping firm structures and business models from the ground up. The message? Accounting firms don’t need to rely on old-school hierarchies. With the right tools, they can create nimble, innovative practices that feel like magic to clients and staff alike.
For those looking to strike the right balance between tradition and tech, the session Walking a Tightrope Between Evolving Technologies and Traditional Accounting Practices, led by Gail Perry, Geni Whitehouse, Angie Grissom, and Mike Maksymiw, offered the perfect illusion of harmony. Their discussion provided firms with a toolkit to balance the adoption of new technologies while preserving the core, time-honored principles of accounting.
And in a fascinating session, David Emmerman, Head of Enterprise at Xero discussed how to navigate change to facilitate reaching your goals — helping to contextualize the rapid-fire changes happening in accounting. David discussed resilience and practical approaches to handling the complexities of an ever-evolving landscape.
Tackling the Talent Gap with AI’s Magic Wand
Recruiting and retention may seem like a disappearing act these days, but Calvin Harris, Jr. showed how AI can be the sleight of hand that solves the talent pipeline crisis. His session, focused on AI in the Accounting Pipeline, demonstrated how firms can use technology to recruit and retain top talent while positioning themselves for long-term success. For many firms, it felt like discovering the secret to an impossible trick!
Burnout: The Vanishing Act We All Need
Avoiding burnout in today’s accounting environment can feel like trying to escape from a locked box underwater. But Lauren Baptiste provided the audience with a practical five-step plan to end burnout during her session on wellness and work-life balance. Her approach gave attendees the tools they need to make stress disappear, providing a much-needed reprieve in an industry that often feels overwhelming.
Botkeeper: Leading the Revolution with New Tricks
No accounting conference about AI would be complete without a peek behind the scenes at the tools driving innovation. With nothing up his sleeves, Enrico Palmerino, CEO of Botkeeper, took the stage to reflect on the company’s journey and shared some exciting announcements, including the upcoming debut of Firm Insights. This new tool promises to be a game-changer for firms looking to gain real-time insights into their own efficiency, along with suggestions for improvements.
The Magic of Entertainment
AI Unchained wasn’t just about hard-hitting tech talks, though. The event took a whimsical turn when emcee, renowned comedian and magician Robert Strong took the stage. His AI-infused magic trick left the audience in awe, blending technology and illusion in a way that fit perfectly with the conference’s theme of innovation. It was the perfect reminder that while technology can seem like magic, the real magic lies in how we use it to enhance our everyday lives.
AI Unchained 2024: Success Hopped Out of the Hat
From cutting-edge keynotes to transformative sessions, AI Unchained 2024 left attendees spellbound and ready to apply the magic of AI to their own firms. With a focus on innovation, automation, and growth, this year’s event proved that the future of accounting — and especially CAS — holds limitless possibilities.
And while AI may seem like the latest trick up the accounting profession’s sleeve, the real magic happens when accountants combine human insight with the power of technology. As we look ahead to the future, one thing is certain: the magic of AI is just getting started.
Weren’t able to make it this year? Our AI Unchained Resources page will be of interest to you! We’re collecting session recordings, slide decks, speaker bios, and more for you to peruse for free. We’ll be updating it frequently over the next few weeks, so if there’s something you want to see that isn’t available yet, keep checking. It’ll be up soon!
