There is a discussion taking place in many accounting practices across the UK.
It happens at morning coffees, at partner meetings, and in the quiet moments between client calls:
“What are we doing with AI?”
With the launch of Making Tax Digital (MTD) Income Tax in just a few months, affecting 864,000 sole traders and landlords in its first phase only, in these discussions you can also find shared fulfillment:
“I don’t think we can avoid AI.”
And this is what we discuss in this blog, like this:
3 types of practice, shared challenge
MTD’s quarterly updated Income Tax calculations and digital tax return work is simple: one customer interaction per year becomes five, each with its own data collection requirements, deadline, and potential penalty.
It’s less about when you engage with AI, but whether you’ll do it on your terms—or be forced to react when you’re frustrated in a few months.
Among other things at the upcoming Sage AI Roadshows, supported by AccountingWEB, the results of the latest joint research will be revealed. It helped create three broad archetypes, as follows. Which one best suits you and your practice?
Strategic Adopters
These represent about 40% of the procedures. These companies have gone beyond just acquiring and implementing AI tools. They make plans. A single test evolved into a robust application, automating the likes of client entry, document capture, and related workflows.
For these Strategic Adopters, the challenge is about efficiency: how do they scale effectively, maintain data management, and ensure their team is up to date with technology?
The danger of this group is complacency. Being ahead today does not guarantee staying ahead tomorrow.
Vigilant Spectators
These make up the other 40%. They see the power of AI. Maybe try tools like ChatGPT for writing emails or summarizing documents. But they did not make a move towards systematic adoption.
Their concerns are legitimate and revolve around reliability, accuracy, security, and service standards. They want to know that AI won’t embarrass them in front of customers or create compliance risks.
What they need is not to hear more hype about the possibilities of AI. They need practical guidance on safe testing, clear use cases, and honest discussions about limitations.
Digital Traditionalists
These include the remaining doctors. These people have seen technology trends come and go and are not against change. They are not sure if this particular change is necessary or beneficial to their practice.
Many run successful, established firms built on relationships and expertise. AI leaves them feeling confused—it threatens those who built it but it can also improve it.
For this group, the first place should be stress reduction and work management, not change. They need to see AI as a tool that supports their existing strengths, not makes them obsolete.
Your call to action
Learning about AI discovery is not a substitute for experiencing it.
That’s why Sage, supported by AccountingWEB, is launching AI roadshow events, starting in March 2026 in Bristol, and continuing to events in Manchester and London in April.
These events are by no means sales pitches. The goal is practical, workshop-style sessions designed to meet you where you are. For example, you’ll walk away with a structured 90-day playbook for effective AI implementations.
Each event features dedicated tracks designed for different levels of AI readiness, led by a mix of smart experts, independent experts, and—most importantly—your fellow actors who have already walked the path.
Strategic Adopters will experience sessions focused on building strong foundations for data management, ultimately automating core practice processes, and creating blueprints for comprehensive AI systems. This is where you move from separate use cases to integrated operating models.
Observers will get a real-life demonstration of the impact of AI in everyday life—speeding up email drafting, summarizing client calls, preparing questions before reviews, and improving general guidance. You will walk away with clarity on where early wins can be achieved and practical guidelines for safe team acquisition.
Digital Traditionalists will find a confidence-building introduction focused on reducing stress and simplifying work. You’ll see how basic tools can help manage tasks, schedule workloads, and draft standard communications without disrupting what’s already in progress. Every attendee will leave with inexpensive use cases that they can use immediately.
Find your first place today
But what if you can’t wait?
The way forward looks different depending on where you start, but certain principles apply universally.
Strategic Adopters: Your next frontier is systematic data governance and integration practices. Individual AI wins are important, but strong comprehensive systems that maintain consistency, safety, and quality control are what separate sustainable profit from scattered experiments. Focus on creating scalable working models, not just working tools.
Watchful Viewers: Your priority should be to identify two or three high-value, low-risk use cases where AI can deliver immediate benefits without threatening professional standards.
Email writing with AI assistants like Sage Copilot, call summarizing, and preparing work papers are natural starters. Establish clear guidelines for your team about appropriate use, and expand from there. The key is to move from passive observation to active evaluation within defined parameters.
Digital Traditionalists: Start with the pain points. What administrative tasks take up a disproportionate amount of time? What repetitive task can be simplified without changing your basic customer service approach?
AI tools can handle routine communications, manage work scheduling, and create templates that preserve your voice and standards while streamlining your work. The goal isn’t revolution—it makes each week feel easier.
Final thoughts
Let’s face it: attending an AI workshop is a technical necessity for anyone serious about their future practice. It is also a good first step in any further training. Events like the Sage AI Roadshow even deliver CPD.
The accounting profession has been adapting to change—from paper ledgers to spreadsheets, from desktop software to cloud computing. Each revolution separated those who changed from those who stayed behind.
AI represents the most significant change since the digitization of records, but the timeline for adaptation is pressing. What took a decade with previous technologies took maybe a year or two with AI.
Sage AI Roadshows offer something valuable: a structured opportunity to start or accelerate your AI journey alongside peers who understand your challenges, supported by experts who can answer your specific questions, in a format designed for practical learning rather than theoretical discussion.
Whether you’re ready to scale existing AI applications, prepare for the first steps to take, or simply want to understand what all the fuss is about, there’s a session just for you.
