AI won’t replace accountants—but AI-enabled firms will outcompete them. Blake Oliver sits down with Thomson Reuters’ Elizabeth Beastrom and Kirat Sekhon to map the end-to-end tax workflow, from document intake and auto-population (SurePrep) to delivery and e-sign (SafeSend), and into year-round advisory with CoCounsel and Ready to Advise. Learn how to “kill the questionnaire,” free staff from data entry, build an open tech stack, and turn tax prep into subscription advisory.

Chapters

• (02:49) - Technology Expectations of New Accountants
• (03:38) - The Shift from Desktop to Cloud-Based Tax Software
• (05:14) - Thomson Reuters' Approach to Customer-Centric Tax Technology
• (05:55) - Automation and AI in Tax Workflow
• (10:58) - The Role of SurePrep in Data Entry Automation
• (18:34) - Advisory Services and Ready to Advise
• (24:53) - AI in Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer
• (25:35) - Empowering Junior Associates with AI
• (26:41) - AI in Education and Talent Attraction
• (30:40) - AI's Role in Tax and Accounting
• (33:58) - The Future of AI in Tax Preparation
• (41:59) - AI-Driven Advisory Services
• (47:41) - Practical Steps for Tax Firms to Embrace AI

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guests

Elizabeth Beastrom

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-beastrom/

Kirat Sekhon

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirat-sekhon-2172022/

Learn more about Thomson Reuters

http://thomsonreuters.com/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

You open Excel daily, but are you using AI to make it work for you? While 58% of professionals have tried AI, only 17% use it regularly—a missed opportunity. Join CPA Kyle Ashcraft in this hands-on webinar to learn vibe coding—a no-programming approach using Cursor AI to automate repetitive Excel tasks. Watch Kyle transform messy spreadsheets, organize GL data, and reconcile transactions with simple AI prompts while keeping data secure. You'll get three ready-to-use scripts plus a framework to automate countless tasks and reclaim hours weekly.

(Originally recorded on October 20, 2025, on Earmark Webinars+)

Chapters

• (02:18) - Meet Kyle Ashcraft and His AI Journey
• (02:31) - The Importance of AI in Accounting
• (03:30) - Kyle's Background and CPA Review
• (04:38) - Live Webinar and Audience Interaction
• (05:12) - Kyle's AI Projects and Cursor Introduction
• (07:39) - Data Privacy Concerns with AI
• (17:18) - Practical AI in Excel: Examples and Demonstration
• (20:03) - Getting Started with Cursor
• (23:55) - First Cursor Project: Cleaning Up Excel Data
• (31:38) - Jumping into Financial Document Verification
• (32:50) - Exploring Cursor's Privacy Settings
• (33:48) - Understanding Data Retention Policies
• (36:23) - Comparing Excel Files with Cursor
• (36:48) - Analyzing Complex GL Details
• (42:22) - Using Cursor for Recurring Accounting Tasks
• (49:20) - Leveraging AI for Audit and Analysis
• (50:53) - Practical Tips for Implementing Cursor
• (53:56) - Q&A: Advanced Cursor Features
• (59:04) - Conclusion and Next Steps

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Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Resources

Intro to Cursor PDF Guide - https://mcusercontent.com/02dbcae4a3e3f15021db25a0c/files/deff5647-e0a3-51d7-4225-cf8b3a48532d/Cursor_AI_Quick_Guide.pdf

Webinar presentation - https://ai.maxwellstudy.com/

Connect with Our Guest, Kyle Ashcraft, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-ashcraft-cpa-7638a42a

Learn more about Maxwell CPA Review

https://maxwellcpareview.com/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Are you auditing at the speed of risk? Richard Chambers—50-year internal audit veteran and AuditBoard advisor—joins Blake to map the path forward. Hear why AI now ranks as risk #1, how to build continuous risk monitoring, and what “independence, not isolation” means for the three-lines model. Learn where CAEs should start with AI (risk assessment, analysis, reporting), how to audit culture and AI governance, and how to earn audit committee trust with no surprises.

Chapters

• (01:37) - Richard Chambers' Career Journey
• (03:15) - Evolution of Internal Audit
• (05:34) - Emerging Risks in Internal Audit
• (08:13) - AI and Cybersecurity Challenges
• (10:51) - Continuous Risk Monitoring
• (25:30) - Connected Risk and AI Integration
• (27:42) - Introduction to the Three Lines of Defense
• (30:01) - Evolution to the Three Lines Model
• (31:18) - Connected Risk and Collaboration
• (32:08) - AI's Impact on Risk Management
• (35:20) - AI in Internal Audit: Opportunities and Challenges
• (40:32) - The Human Element in Internal Audit
• (44:40) - The Future of Internal Audit and AI
• (54:00) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guest, Richard Chambers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chambers-a5108914/
Twitter: https://x.com/rfchambers
Website: https://auditboard.com/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/