Accountants Aren’t the Most Concerned About AI’s Impact—Except in One State

Coming on the heels of a Moss Adams study that revealed 69% of accountants believe artificial intelligence has a positive impact on the accounting profession, a new report from AI customer support company DevRev found that accountants don’t fear AI advancements the most among professionals in the U.S.

The study analyzed online search data for terms relating to a list of careers—including “AI impact on …,” “will AI replace …,” and “how will AI affect …”—to determine America’s top five jobs with the most AI anxiety.

While not first, accountants were the third-most worried about AI, according to the study. DevRev said, “AI is used in accounting firms to generate financial reports and arrange expenses efficiently. Despite these advantages, using AI within accounting can lead to detrimental data breaches from cybercriminals searching for investment decisions.”

Lawyers were the most concerned about AI advancements in their profession, followed by artists, accountants, doctors, and data scientists, according to the study.  

“AI has transformed the workplace. In fact, by 2030, it is predicted that 30% of jobs will be automated through various AI technologies, leading many people to worry about their changing roles,” DevRev said. “However, AI will likely be used alongside humans within these sectors in the future, rather than replacing them completely.” 

The study also provided a table of the jobs most anxious about AI in America, by state. DevRev found that AI concerned the accounting profession the most in only one state—North Dakota. The results are below, with the word “Accountant” bolded for emphasis: