How accounting firms are using AI agents to reclaim time and trust

Accounting firms are increasingly adopting AI systems that reason and provide transparency, moving beyond traditional robotic process automation (RPA) to enhance trust and compliance in finance operations. One notable example is Basis, a US-based startup leveraging advanced language models like GPT-4.1 and GPT-5 to automate routine accounting tasks such as reconciliations and journal entries, while maintaining human oversight through explainable decision-making processes. This approach not only improves efficiencyreporting up to 30% time savingsbut also enables finance professionals to focus on higher-value advisory work, addressing the limitations of black-box automation tools. By