UK & Ireland firms lead global AI adoption in audit and accounting, as profession shifts from planning to real-world deployment

New study, sponsored by Caseware, shows UK & Ireland lead global peers in AI adoption, signaling a decisive shift from experimentation to execution

LONDON, April 28, 2026: Audit and accounting firms across the UK & Ireland are leading the global shift to artificial intelligence, with higher levels of AI adoption than their global peers, according to a new study from IDC, sponsored by Caseware.

Findings from the global IDC study, The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era, show that 71%* of firms in the UK & Ireland have already embedded AI into firm strategy, are using it across select functions or have active pilot programs underway, compared to 66%** globally.

This positions the region as one of the most advanced markets globally for operational AI in audit and accounting.

At the same time, only 42%* of firms in the UK & Ireland say they plan to adopt AI technologies within the next two years, compared to 59%** globally.

Rather than signaling slower momentum, this reflects a market that has already moved beyond early-stage planning and into active deployment.

The UK is already in the execution phase

The data points to a clear shift in the UK & Ireland market. AI is no longer a future consideration, but an embedded part of how audit and accounting work is delivered.

Firms are integrating AI into workflows to drive efficiency, improve insight generation and enhance service delivery, positioning AI as a core component of competitive differentiation rather than a standalone technology initiative.

This aligns with broader global findings that show the profession moving rapidly from experimentation into production environments.

Regulation and global alignment come into focus

As adoption accelerates, firms in the UK & Ireland are also calling for clearer global alignment on governance.

80%* of respondents in the UK & Ireland say there is a very or extremely urgent need for a globally harmonised AI framework for audit and assurance. This outpaces the 66%** of global respondents who share that view.

This appetite for governance is matched by a willingness to prioritise security. 62%* of UK & Ireland respondents say they are willing or very willing to trade some level of AI performance in exchange for stronger security measures, compared to 55%** globally. With 21%* unwilling to make that trade-off in the UK & Ireland, the data suggests that firms in the region view responsible deployment as the benchmark for AI maturity.

This reflects the growing complexity of operating across jurisdictions, as well as the importance of maintaining trust, consistency and professional standards as AI becomes embedded in critical workflows.

A mature market shaping the next phase of AI in audit

The findings suggest that the UK & Ireland is entering a new phase of AI maturity, where the focus is shifting from whether to adopt AI to how to scale it responsibly and effectively.

With adoption already well underway, firms are now focused on integrating AI into everyday processes, ensuring governance frameworks are in place and building the skills needed to work alongside increasingly intelligent systems.

“In the UK & Ireland, the question of whether to adopt AI has been answered – now it’s about doing it right,” said David Marquis, chief executive officer at Caseware. “Firms here are deploying AI in live environments and the focus has shifted to scaling intelligently, governing responsibly and ensuring that the use of AI sharpens rather than replaces professional judgment. That’s why Caseware has built the first domain-specific agentic platform to support the end-to-end workflow critical to accelerating firms’ growth.”

About the research:

The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era is an IDC study, sponsored by Caseware, based on a December 2025 survey of over 1,000 audit and accounting decision-makers across Australia, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, the UK & Ireland and the United States.

* IDC Resource Map, Sponsored by Caseware, The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era, #US54483126, April 2026.

** IDC InfoBrief, Sponsored by Caseware, The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era, #US54248126-IB, February 2026.

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