The Digital Evolution Summit (DES), a new conference dedicated to the future of accounting technology and artificial intelligence, will debut Nov. 16-17, 2026, at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida. The event is being launched through a strategic partnership between the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) and Karbon and Aider to help accounting professionals navigate one of the profession’s most significant periods of transformation.
Created for CPA firm leaders, accounting professionals, finance executives and technology decision-makers, DES will provide practical guidance on how artificial intelligence, automation and emerging technologies are reshaping accounting operations, advisory services and client expectations. Attendees will gain access to real-world strategies, implementation frameworks and technology solutions they can deploy immediately within their organizations.
“Created in partnership with the team at Karbon and Aider, the Digital Evolution Summit (DES) is our answer to the emerging technological questions we’re all facing across the CPA profession,” said Shelly Weir, President & CEO of the FICPA. “With accounting at a turning point, and technology and automation changing the way we work, we’re designing DES as your vehicle for success in a tech-driven world.”
Unlike many technology conferences that focus on future possibilities, DES is designed to help accounting professionals understand where AI has already arrived and how firms are successfully implementing it today. Through keynote presentations, practitioner-led sessions, peer discussions and an Innovation Hub featuring leading technology providers, participants will learn how to streamline operations, improve margins, elevate client experiences and enhance advisory capabilities.
Karbon, a global leader in AI-powered practice management software for accounting firms, serves customers in 40 countries and helps firms improve productivity, collaboration and growth through its award-winning cloud platform. The company acquired Aider in 2025 to expand its vision of transforming accounting through artificial intelligence and advanced automation. Together, the organizations help firms eliminate repetitive work, automate month-end close processes and unlock greater advisory value from financial data.
“Our research found that 89% of clients want transparency about where AI is used in their accounting work. That’s a professional standards conversation, not a software conversation, and it belongs with a body like the FICPA,” said Ian Vacin, Co-Founder of Karbon. “The Digital Evolution Summit is built for firms that are past asking whether AI matters and are now asking what to actually do about it on Monday morning.”
Karbon and Aider leaders note that after hosting AI-focused events across the country, accounting professionals consistently ask for practical implementation guidance rather than product demonstrations.
Brendan Roberts, Founder of Aider, adds, “Firms do not need another demo. They need to see how the pieces fit together, and they need to hear it from people who have actually done it in a real firm. Partnering with the FICPA lets us build a day around that, with CPE behind it and practitioners on stage.”
Further, according to Roberts, “Attendees will leave with a plan rather than a reading list. They should be able to name the next three things they are going to do in their own firm, and they should know which of their peers to call when they get stuck. If we get that right, the value compounds well beyond the two days.”
The conference will offer both in-person and livestream registration options, along with continuing professional education (CPE) opportunities. Featured sessions will focus on AI-powered firms, technology implementation, automation strategies, operational efficiency, advisory growth and emerging innovations affecting the future of accounting.
For additional information, speaking updates and registration details, visit ficpa.org/DES.
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