Accounting and tax professionals feel AI threatens their employment prospects

Finance, accounting and tax employees feel more threatened about their job prospects due to increased use of artificial intelligence by employers, according to a new study.

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of reportThe study, released Tuesday by staffing firm Randstad USA, surveyed 1,752 workers and 55 employers in a variety of industries including finance, accounting and taxation. The study found that more than half (52%) of financial services talent surveyed believe that AI has made their job prospects worse than most in the past year, and 57% of financial services talent avoids raising issues with managers due to job insecurity. (The people surveyed in the Financial Services Talent group are primarily accounting and tax professionals.) More than a third (36%) of financial services talent surveyed said they were concerned about the impact of economic uncertainty on their job security.

However, accounting and tax personnel are not necessarily opposed to the use of AI. The survey found that 70% of financial services respondents believe their employers could invest more in AI skills, while 71% of financial services employees surveyed believe AI will improve their productivity at work, and 72% of financial services talent feels most confident in using the latest technology.

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Randstad also looked at industries other than finance, accounting and taxation. Fifty-two percent of financial services talent believes that AI has worsened their job prospects the most in the past year, higher than talent in manufacturing (42%) and transportation and logistics (42%) and engineering (27%). Respondents in engineering and financial services (70%) believe their employers could invest more in AI skills, followed by respondents in manufacturing (60%) and transportation and logistics (57%). More than half (52%) of transportation and logistics workers believe that AI will improve their productivity at work, compared to 71% of financial services workers, 58% of engineering workers, and 53% of manufacturing workers.

“Amid economic pressures and growing adoption of AI in the workplace, America’s talent is recalibrating their work expectations and rethinking their own relevance and future, ushering in a major workforce adaptation,” Randstad North America Chief Commercial Officer Greg Dyer said in a statement Tuesday. “Workers prioritize workplaces defined by true collaboration and intergenerational trust, but their evolving expectations center on greater personal autonomy, authentic relationships, and employer support to advance their skills and adapt to a changing world. Employers who strategically meet these core needs will not only retain top talent, but also create strong drivers for sustained growth.”

Last September, Randstad published an earlier report. analysis Learn how AI is accelerating change in the financial services sector and reshaping the skills needed and the roles available. It revealed a sharp decline in entry-level roles, but also showed how ambitious and tech-savvy employees are finding new ways to adapt and grow.

Global job openings for roles requiring zero to two years of experience have declined by 24% since January 2024, led by data entry clerks (-63%), auditors (-43%), payroll specialists (-41%) and financial analysts (-46%). In contrast, demand for senior professionals (10+ years of experience) has increased by 6%, highlighting the shift to higher-value technology-enabled jobs. Employers are responding. 83% of organizations now move beyond rigid job definitions to a skills-first hiring model.

Financial services talent is confident about the future, with 78% saying their employers will equip them with future-ready skills and 80% feeling prepared to use AI and other new technologies, significantly higher than the global average (64% and 71%). Gen Z appears to be at the forefront of this transformation, with 75% already using AI to upskill, more than any other generation.