Accounting and tax staff worry AI threatens jobs

Finance, accounting and tax employees are feeling more threatened about their job prospects due to the rising use of artificial intelligence by employers, according to a new survey.

The report, released Tuesday by the staffing company Randstad USA, surveyed a group of 1,752 workers and 55 employers across a variety of industries, including finance, accounting and tax. The survey found that over half (52%) of the financial services talent polled believe their job prospects have worsened the most over the last year due to AI, and 57% of financial services talent avoid raising issues with their managers due to job insecurity. (Those surveyed within the "financial services talent" group are mostly accounting and tax professionals.) Over a third (36%) of the financial services talent polled said they are concerned about the impact of economic uncertainty on their job security. 

However, accounting and tax employees aren't necessarily opposed to the use of AI. The survey found 70% of the financial services respondents believe their employers could do more to invest in AI skills, while 71% of financial services workers who responded believe AI makes them more productive at work and 72% of financial services talent feel the most confident in using the latest technology.

Visualization created with AI assistance based on original reporting.

Randstad also surveyed other industries besides finance, accounting and tax. While 52% of financial services talent believe their job prospects have worsened the most over the last year due to AI, that was higher than manufacturing (42%) and transport & logistics (42%) talent and engineering (27%) talent. Engineering and financial services (70%) respondents believe that their employers could do more to invest in AI skills, followed by manufacturing respondents (60%) and transport & logistics (57%) respondents. Over half (52%) of transport & logistics workers believe AI makes them more productive at work, compared to 71% of financial services workers, 58% of engineering workers, and 53% of manufacturing workers.

"Amidst economic pressure and the growing adoption of AI in the workplace, talent in the U.S. are recalibrating what they expect from work and rethinking their own relevance and future, ushering in the Great Workforce Adaptation," said Randstad North America chief commercial officer Greg Dyer in a statement Tuesday. "While workers prioritize workplaces defined by genuine collaboration and intergenerational trust, their evolving expectations are centered on greater individual autonomy, authentic human connection and employer support to upskill and adapt to the changing world. Employers that strategically meet these core needs will not only retain their best people, but they will also create a powerful engine for sustained growth."

Last September, Randstad published an earlier analysis of how AI is accelerating change in the financial services sector, reshaping the skills required and the roles available. It found a sharp decline in entry-level roles, but also indicated how ambitious, tech-savvy employees are adapting and finding new ways to grow.

Global job postings for roles requiring between zero and two  years of experience have dropped 24% since January 2024, led by steep declines for data entry clerks (-63%), auditors (-43%), payroll specialists (-41%) and financial analysts (-46%). In contrast, demand for senior professionals (10+ years' experience) has risen by 6%, highlighting the shift toward higher-value, tech-enabled work. Employers are responding: 83% of organizations are now adopting a skills-first hiring model, moving beyond rigid job definitions. 

Financial services talent are confident about the future, with 78% saying their employer is equipping them with future-ready skills, and 80% feel prepared to use AI and other new technologies – well above global averages (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.