Hong Kong-based accounting firms plan to continue expanding their workforce in 2026, hoping to attract newly minted accountants, even as the industry steps up the adoption of artificial intelligence, according to industry players.
“We do not believe AI is a replacement for humans, and we have not seen any reduction in hiring in the past nor do we plan to [reduce hiring] in future,” said Andrew Wong, partner of audit quality and professional practice at KPMG China. “We see AI and our people as complementary to each other.”
In an era of big data, KPMG’s experience showed that AI was excellent in parsing trends and detecting anomalies from huge data sets, while it also helped analyse a range of complex issues, he said.
Other major accounting firms have also unveiled hiring plans and begun deploying AI without replacing human staff.
