Why accountants who adopt AI are leading the next era of AP

For a long time, the main purpose of accounting tech has been to help accountants do their jobs faster and more accurately. This made sense, but it only got us so far.

Artificial intelligence has not only sped up the manual processes, but some tools have also begun to think. It has started to anticipate our needs, learn our patterns, and perform tasks that traditional tools couldn't even touch. Accounts payable, which used to be a total headache and busywork, ended up being the perfect place to test it out.

Adding AI shouldn't be about throwing automation at a problem. It's more about how accountants using it evolve. Accountants who are adopting this trend are transitioning from bookkeeping to analyst, financial adviser, and strategic partner roles. Most finance teams are already testing the waters, with about 72% using it in some way. 

The real impact of AI on accounts payable

AI in AP is a lot less mysterious than it sounds, but it's still impressive. Its real strength isn't in seeing the big picture; it's in handling the massive volume of work. It can read invoices, pull out and sort line items, match them to purchase orders, and even catch things that used to slip past the most careful human eyes. It works quietly in the background, learning from past transactions and getting better all the time.

The payoff is obvious because tasks that used to take hours now happen in minutes. Errors that once caused payment delays or messy reconciliations get caught before they become a problem. Duplicate invoices are flagged automatically. Approvals move along without anyone having to chase them. And every step leaves a clean digital trail, so audits and compliance are way less stressful.

The bigger change isn't just what AI does with transactions, it's how it changes what accountants actually do. Instead of spending hours entering data, they can spend that time making sense of it. Most CFOs I talk to are excited about the efficiency gains AI can bring, but a lot of teams are still just getting started, and for good reasons. 

The real barriers holding accountants back

Even with all the obvious benefits, adopting AI in AP isn't always easy. Trust is still an issue. When a machine gives a recommendation, it can feel like a black box, and people aren't always sure they can take it at face value without double-checking everything.

Integration is another hurdle for accountants. Older accounting systems don't always integrate seamlessly with new AI tools, and getting everything set up can take a lot of work. Cost is also a factor, especially for smaller firms trying to weigh the investment against what they'll actually get out of it.

The human side of things matters just as much. People used to doing things the old way can push back, thinking "if it's not broken, why fix it?" or worry that AI will make their expertise less valuable. Studies show that 37% of AP teams worry about costs, 33% about whether staff have the right skills, and 28% about ERP integration. On top of that, 46% are concerned about data privacy and security, and 41% are thinking about how much oversight humans still need.

These hurdles are manageable. Teams that pair AI with human judgment, train staff and start small typically see faster adoption and end up with a more capable, confident finance team.

From AI-powered to AI-native finance

AI goes beyond simply adding a few automated capabilities, as it has long done. It could scan invoices or spot unusual transactions, which definitely saved time, but it still felt like a tool sitting on the sidelines. 

Now we're moving into what I like to call AI-native finance. These systems are built from the ground up to learn, adapt to how your team works, and even anticipate what you'll need next. They help you time payments better, understand cash flow sooner, and get things processed faster and more accurately.

Adopting an AI-native mindset means rethinking how processes are designed. This isn't about replacing people or their judgment. Analysts expect that by 2026, nearly every finance operation will be using some form of AI. The conversation will shift from "we have AI" to "we're built for AI." The companies that make AI part of how they actually work instead of treating it as an add-on are the ones seeing real results and meaningful improvements.

Most finance leaders agree, with about 85% saying AI skills matter when hiring, and 68% of AP team members wanting to work with AI. Teams that lean in are already seeing better decisions, smoother workflows and more time for real strategy.

As finance moves from AI-powered to truly AI-native, the teams willing to adapt now will be the ones leading the way forward.