Big companies got AI. CPA firms got a PDF and a prayer.

I live in Southern California, and we really do not have seasons here. But tax preparers and CPAs have seasons regardless of where they live. Their seasons are either extremely busy or "I wish I had more clients."

This oxymoron is what is quietly hurting the CPA business.

During the off-season, firms try to grow and bring in more clients. But during filing season, they realize they cannot effectively manage additional clients. So they work overtime, spend money on temporary help, and eventually watch those extra costs eat into their bottom line.

And the crazy part is that they are often not busy making tax strategies, calculating tax payments or refunds, or even filing taxes. They are busy doing manual work before they can even begin the actual work.

What can be done about all this manual work?

Well… have you heard the word AI?

Yes, AI is actually built for problems like this, and CPAs should already be using it regularly. But unfortunately, large corporations and software companies are not really focused on serving small and mid-sized businesses with practical AI solutions.

Take a look at the recent news from Intuit — a company that has deep roots throughout the tax industry. On May 20, Reuters reported that Intuit would cut roughly 17% of its global workforce while accelerating AI investments across its platform.

So why does this matter to CPAs?

Most CPAs already use Intuit products like Lacerte, ProSeries, or ProConnect. At first glance, this sounds like good news, right? Finally, maybe CPAs will get to go out for dinner with their families on April 14th.

Well… read the coverage carefully.

Intuit is promising to bring more AI into QuickBooks, TurboTax, and other consumer-focused products. But mid-sized CPA firms may once again be underserved. Many of them will still be left trying to figure out their own solutions to reduce the manual work happening inside their offices every single day.

Some CPAs I have spoken to have almost accepted this as their fate.

They tell me: "Yes, we need to print all the client documents, sort them manually, and figure out what documents are missing because that's just part of the job."

But I believe the right answer is no.

You went through years of training and rigorous exams to become an EA or CPA. Your job is not to organize PDFs and shuffle paperwork all day. Your job is to help clients file taxes correctly, guide them with smart strategies, and help them legally reduce their tax burden.

That is where your real value is.

A call to CPAs and tax professionals

Look around. Explore what is possible. Do not be afraid of automation and AI.

AI is not replacing your job. It is making your job more meaningful — when it is applied to the right layer of the workflow, with your firm still in control of review and sign-off.

The firms that embrace automation will spend less time buried in paperwork and more time doing the high-value work their clients actually need.

The more SMB owners and professionals I speak with, the more I realize the problem is not a lack of talent — it is that talented people are drowning in repetitive operational work.

That realization is one of the reasons I founded NILA. I believe AI should not be limited to large enterprises with massive budgets. Small and mid-sized CPA firms deserve practical automation too — especially for client intake, document collection, and review-ready handoff before prep begins.

If you are a CPA firm owner or tax professional exploring what automation could look like in your intake workflow, see how NILA works or book a 15-minute call.

Operational commentary for CPA firms, not tax advice.