“Urgency in the Accounting Supply Chain – The Case of Accounting Digitization” Daniel O’Leary, University of Southern California September 8, 2017

There are many headlines about how AI, blockchain, etc There are many headlines about how AI, blockchain, etc., will make accountants and auditors “go away” The real issue is that as accounting, auditing and tax become more and more “digitized” there will be more and more things that can be done to and with the data – some using AI, some with DSS and analytics will be at the base … ???

Is Accounting Getting Away from Accounting? However, as accounting gets digitized, we wonder if we need accountants OR others to analyze the data Good News!? Undergrad Masters “Graduate recruitment of auditors and accountants could fall by as much as 50% due to the impact of artificial intelligence according to a top executive of ‘Big Four’ accountant EY”

I think we are at a Technology Tipping Point “You need to understand this new world like you understand accounting. That new world is data quality, data analytics, business intelligence, data modeling and data governance. There are very fundamental changes that people need to understand are happening and they need to begin the process. There is a lot of training that most professionals are going to have to go through to get themselves to the level where they are really comfortable to play in this space. And don’t forget that with every wave of innovation and technology, a cottage industry of jobs will be created …” Body is a Quote from Rick Richardson

AIS Faculty should be poised to Jump at the chance to embed technology and analytics Unfortunately, there are few, and there are few new graduates Faculty that teach in AIS often are new faculty with no technology base There are probably 3 (three) schools with AIS Ph. D. programs, that have more than one AIS Ph. D. student. Faculty – Accounting information systems faculty is under developed and has been under invested in for 3 decades. A few years ago a program was started to get “new” Auditing and Tax Ph. D.s I still don’t understand why AIS was not included. Faculty in other areas think, “Why do we need to hire another AIS faculty member, don’t we already have ONE?”

Thanks! oleary@usc.edu

Panel Charge The Accounting Supply Chain Panel is focused on the perspectives of the supply chain links: (1) filling the pipeline into accounting and analytics programs, (2) the future of academic programs including their relevance, and (3) future employers of our graduates both public and corporate