Standalone and embedded AI tools poised to gain majority adoption in accounting

In a freshly-released study, The State of AI in Accounting Report 2026 mapped out the current AI adoption trajectories among accounting practices across Australia.

The report reveals the accounting industry’s increasing confidence over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in a wide range of use cases. Specifically, it shows how accounting tech solutions with AI embedded in pre-existing software have a wider acceptance among accounting professionals compared to standalone AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude,etc).

Key stats you need to know

• Full AI utility is pushing 50% across accounting practices in Australia.
  
  
• 13% of accountants are now scaling embedded AI in their practice, while 10% have begun standalone AI integration across multiple tasks.
  
  
• At present, roughly 1 in 10 accounting professionals are still ‘not considering’ AI use in their practice.

Almost 1 in 2 accountants now use AI across their practice

• AI integration hovers around 45% for standalone tools and 44% for AI-embedded accounting software.
  
  
• More than 1 in 3 accounting practices (37% for embedded AI, 34% for standalone) are eager to integrate AI in their operations
  
  
• Around 1 in 4 firms are still in the stages of ‘experimenting’ with either type of AI.
  

Nearly half of accounting practices have moved beyond experimentation to actively using AI tools in their daily operations, with 45% adopting standalone AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude, and 44% leveraging AI features embedded in accounting software such as Xero and MYOB. The momentum shows no signs of slowing, as more than one-third of practices are eager to expand their AI integration. While roughly a quarter of firms remain in the experimentation phase, the data reveals a clear shift toward mainstream adoption, with firms not considering AI representing only around 10% of the market.

“The numbers are telling us that accounting practices are now largely open to running their practice with the assistance of AI. This new era in accounting could set new standards for efficiency and overall quality provided to clients,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence.

Accountants express more openness to embedded AI

• Practices open or eager to adopting AI sit at 72% for standalone tools and 76% for embedded AI
  
  
• Openness to embedded and standalone AI are at 39% and 38%, respectively, while eagerness is at 37% and 34%
  

Accountants show strong receptivity to AI adoption across both categories, with more than 7 in ten practices are eager or open to integrating these technologies into their workflows. Enthusiasm is slightly higher for embedded AI (37%) compared to standalone tools (34%), suggesting practices are more comfortable with AI features built directly into familiar accounting software. While resistance remains minimal overall, 8% of practices are reluctant to adopt standalone AI, double the 4% hesitant about embedded tools, revealing a clearer distinction in attitudes between the two types of AI solutions.

“Embedded AI comes with an element of familiarity and an existing relationship, making it a likelier entry point for practices wanting to dive into AI adoption,” said Michael Johnson.

About the research

The State of AI Report 2026 was commissioned by The Access Group and conducted by Agile Market Intelligence. It maps out AI adoption, risks and barriers holding back adoption, and the practical use cases already delivering value today. The report captures the sentiments of 434 accountants, bookkeepers and other accounting professionals across Australia around their experiences of artificial intelligence in their practice. Responses were collected between 9 September and 13 October 2025.

You can download the report here.