In her May blog, Ami Copeland reflects on a strong start to the year for bookkeepers and looks at what is driving the growth we are seeing in new practice numbers.
There’s nothing like a few bank holidays to lift the spirits, even when the sky is, frankly, far too cloudy.
As we rev-up to exhibit at
Accountex next week, and host the Bookkeepers Theatre, I’ve been reflecting on what has already been a really strong year for the UK’s bookkeeping profession.
ICB student enrolments are climbing year on year, and the number of new ICB practices has almost doubled compared to 2025. Some of that is down to the work of the team at ICB. Some of it is market forces - ACSP and Tax Adviser Registration are drawing more people towards the Status, Skills and Support we offer.
But I think the real driver is our members themselves.
Every day bookkeepers are making a measurable difference to their employers, clients, communities and families. We are at a rare moment in time. Bookkeepers sit on the data layer of the small business economy, and those who can combine their empathy and expertise with technology will be the ones who get to architect the future of our profession.
But from where I sit, speaking to bookkeepers every day, AI is already being worked into the core flow of bookkeeping.
Among ICB members, 54% are already using AI tools every day. Usually that means using AI within the software they already know and love, for data entry, transaction categorisation and bank reconciliation.
That might not sound glamorous, but it's still pretty cool.
Yes, AI can post a transaction faster, but much of that automation journey began years ago. The point is that bookkeepers work at transaction level, often in real time, and are perfectly placed to judge what AI has produced and what still needs checking.
It surprises when people in our industry think the value of AI is in getting further away from the data. I reckon the real value is in getting closer to the data - seeing patterns sooner, spotting anomalies earlier, and building services that scale because of your grip on the numbers.
In other words, being more bookkeeper.
Bookkeepers have a huge advantage here because they aren't distant reviewers of year-end outputs. They come to the books from inside the day-to-day reality of the business. They don't just see every single transaction, they see the idiosyncrasies behind them - the staff habits, supplier behaviour, payroll patterns and bum-out bottlenecks.
Bookkeepers can see what should be automated and, more importantly, what should not.
AI is powerful, but it's not magic, even when it feels like it is. As Gary Turner puts it, AI can become a “farce multiplier” when applied without judgement. I don't think the problem is the AI itself, it's how we use it. We point AI at messy processes and half-understood data, and it responds super quickly and convincingly.
That's why the future belongs to the professionals who understand the underlying data, know where judgement is needed, and can combine automation with accountability. In many small businesses, that professional is the bookkeeper.
There's sometimes an assumption that bookkeepers sit behind accountants on the technology curve and will be the first part of the profession to lose out to automation. I see the opposite. Bookkeepers work in the live flow of the business every day of the year - high volume, high stakes, no lull after tax season ends. That gives them the strongest incentive to automate, the sharpest sense of what should be automated, and the experience to know what actually works.
That's one of the reasons ICB has launched our new AI Academy. We want bookkeepers to have the confidence and professional judgement to use AI well so they can cut through the hype, understand where it can add value, and protect themselves and the businesses they serve.
AI capability is becoming part of essential professional development. But AI is only one part of the wider picture. ICB has always focused on preparing people for real work, and that commitment is stronger than ever.
This year, we are delighted to welcome ICS Learn as a new ICB Accredited Training Provider. ICS Learn recently won the PQ Award for Best Online College, and their arrival adds even more strength to the training options available to aspiring and practising bookkeepers.
Find out more here.
We have also introduced new
Recognised Learning in client engagement skills for bookkeepers, because technical knowledge alone is not enough. Bookkeepers need to know how to work with clients, ask the right questions, explain information clearly and build professional relationships that last.
That is what preparing bookkeepers for the real world means. It means strong technical skills, professional judgement, confidence with technology, and the human skills to support businesses properly.
So yes, accountants are right to be cautious about AI. But bookkeepers have an unfair advantage - proximity.
Proximity to the data, the process and the business.
No matter what the future brings - more AI, more uncertainty, or something we least expect, there's always an opportunity for bookkeepers to become even more integral to the businesses they serve.
Best wishes,
Ami
