The Indiana CPA Society (INCPAS) has released its 2025 CPA Firm Tech Report, offering critical insights for accounting firms navigating the accelerating pace of digital transformation. The report highlights the most pressing challenges and strategic opportunities facing firms today, with actionable recommendations from top national experts in accounting tech, innovation and AI.
The 2025 CPA Firm Tech Report explores how accounting firms can strategically adopt emerging technologies—especially AI—to improve efficiency, client service, and long-term growth. It also provides frameworks like the Digital Maturity Model and Balanced Scorecard to help firms align technology with business goals. Key themes include integrating AI thoughtfully, investing in training and change leadership, and treating technology adoption as a firmwide transformation—not a quick fix. Firms that act now will gain a significant advantage in innovation, profitability and talent retention.
Here are the top five takeaways:
1. Decision Paralysis Is Costing Firms Time & Growth
Firms are overwhelmed by tech choices and underestimating the time, training and leadership required for change. Many stall out due to lack of clarity on who should lead tech decisions. Experts warn that waiting is the biggest risk; firms that hesitate now may never catch up to early adopters operating with radically higher efficiency and profitability.
2. Leadership Hesitation is the Biggest Barrier to Innovation
Many firm leaders resist change due to fear, lack of information, or concerns over cost and compliance. However, firms that embrace an “AI-first” mindset—treating technology as a strategic business decision, not just an IT upgrade—are positioning themselves to lead the profession into its next evolution.
3. Measuring ROI Requires a New Mindset
Traditional ROI metrics miss the mark when it comes to modern technology investments. The report encourages firms to track change through a broader lens, including process improvements, client satisfaction, staff engagement and long-term capacity gains—using tools like the Balanced Scorecard and behavioral indicators (KBIs) alongside financial KPIs.
4. Cybersecurity Can’t Be an Afterthought
With increased reliance on cloud-based systems and AI, firms face growing risks from data breaches, ransomware, and compliance failures. The firms getting security right are embedding it into every tech decision and leveraging adaptive security tools, zero-trust architecture, and continuous training—not just relying on their IT team.
5. The Technology Skills Gap is Real—and Growing
Firms are struggling to keep pace with the skills needed for modern, tech-driven accounting. Whether through partnerships with colleges, immersive training programs or internal innovation labs, the report stresses that upskilling is urgent. As one expert puts it, “Accounting firms aren’t just accounting firms anymore—they’re tech-enabled advisory businesses.”
Read the full report at incpas.org/CPATech2025.
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About the Report
Produced by INCPAS in collaboration with national subject matter experts, the 2025 CPA Firm Tech Report provides a roadmap for accounting firms of all sizes to evaluate, adopt and maximize new technologies.
About the Indiana CPA Society
The Indiana CPA Society is a statewide professional association representing nearly 6,000 CPAs and accounting professionals who are transforming business in Indiana. For more information, visit incpas.org.