Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley talk with Nancy Sperry, Senior Vice President of U.S. Partner Sales at Sage, about how AI can help accounting firms and finance professionals reinvent their practices around advisory services. Sperry argues that AI adoption in accounting depends on trust: systems must be explainable, auditable, secure, controllable, and subject to human approval. That “glass box” approach can reduce the time professionals spend validating transactions and manipulating data, freeing them to interpret results, advise clients, and look forward instead of backward.
The Accounting Tech Lab is an ongoing series that explores the intersection of public accounting and technology.
View the video below:
The discussion explores Sage Copilot, finance and close agents, partner-built agents, and a future agent marketplace where solutions created for one client may be reused across the Sage ecosystem. The hosts and Sperry also examine how AI could accelerate micro-vertical specialization in industries such as construction and nonprofit organizations, while integrations and Model Context Protocol connections may reduce dependence on traditional middleware and point solutions.
The episode closes with Sage’s broader platform strategy, including Sage Intacct, Sage HCM, and acquired products, and with a clear message for firms: advisory growth will require both AI-enabled productivity and disciplined governance, security, accountability, and human oversight as firms redesign workflows and deepen trusted relationships with clients today.
Key Takeaways
- Trust is the gating factor for accounting AI. Explainability, auditability, approval workflows, security, and accountability matter as much as model capability.
- Advisory becomes more practical when the mechanical work shrinks. Automation can move professionals away from manipulating data and toward interpreting what the numbers mean.
- Finance will not become autonomous overnight. Sperry notes that only a small portion of finance functions are autonomous today; confidence must be earned through reliable results and controls.
- Agents create a new partner opportunity. Sage partners may be able to build agents for specific client problems and then distribute reusable solutions through a broader marketplace.
- Industry specialization can get much deeper. AI and agent builders may allow firms to move beyond broad verticals such as construction into highly specialized micro-vertical workflows.
- MCP and cross-system agents can change the technology stack. Agents that work across systems such as CRM, payroll, and ERP could eliminate some traditional integration layers—but also introduce new security concerns.
- Advisory becomes forward-looking. The opportunity is to spend less time looking through the rearview mirror and more time helping clients see through the windshield.
- Human oversight remains essential. The accountant, CFO, or advisor remains responsible for consequential decisions even when AI performs more of the underlying work.
- Sage is broadening the platform around finance, HR, payroll, expenses, construction, forecasting, practice management, and other adjacent workflows.
- The strategic opportunity is bigger than efficiency. AI can change the relationship between the accounting professional and the client by making interpretation, specialization, and continuous advice economically feasible.
.
.
.
Sign in to get access to this free resource, and all of our whitepapers and reports.
Download this content today!
Register Now Already registered? Click here to Log In