Practical Steps to Use AI in your Practice - ROI/NI

Format

This in-person event course will be delivered on 8 September May 2026, from 8:30am to 10:30am in Chartered Accountants House. This event is not available online.

 Further information including joining instructions will be emailed to you a few days before the event.

Who should attend

This course is designed for small to medium-sized practices (SMPs) looking to better understand the real impact of AI on their firms, teams, and clients. Ideal for practitioners who are curious about AI but unsure where to start, concerned about profitability or staffing pressures, exploring outsourcing options, or seeking practical insights from peers facing similar challenges. This is not a technical coding course—it is focused on practical, real-world application for accountants.

Course overview

• AI fundamentals: What Claude AI can (and cannot) do for your practice
• Live demo: Setting up Claude and practical use cases for accountants
• Profitability challenges facing practices today
• Staffing, recruitment, and retention in a changing profession
• Outsourcing models: benefits, risks, and practical considerations
• Technology and productivity improvements in practice
• Managing change and reducing team anxiety around AI
• Interactive peer discussion under Chatham House Rules
• Q&A session with panel speakers
• Networking with fellow practitioners and industry experts

Key Learning Outcomes

By the end of this conference, participants will be well positioned to:

• Understand how AI can enhance rather than replace their practice and team
• Set up and begin using Claude AI confidently in day-to-day work
• Identify practical AI opportunities within accounting and advisory services
• Better understand the profitability pressures facing SMPs today
• Evaluate outsourcing and associated risks
• Address staff concerns around automation and technology change
• Build a practical roadmap for AI and technology adoption
• Gain valuable insights through peer discussion and networking
• Ask better questions around AI implementation and practice strategy
• Leave with practical next steps that can be applied immediately

Speaker Bios

Paul Redmond - Paul is Founder & Principal of RDA Accountants (Ireland & UK), a multi-service chartered accountancy firm. He is a Chartered Accountant and CAI member. Paul hosts the Connected Advice podcast, authored Connected Advice – One Vision. One Plan. One Team., and serves on CAI’s Member in Practice and Technology Committees. He is focused on simplicity, frameworks, and AI-led practice transformation, bringing 40+ years’ experience advising owner-managed businesses.

Ross Boyd - Ross is the Founder and Managing Director of RBCA. RBCA is a medium sized firm of Chartered Accountants based in Belfast serving UK and Irish markets. RBCA is a full service practice. Since 2010 Ross has been a market leader in the adoption of technology for small businesses driving business producitivty through improved record keeping, standardisation and automation.

Terry McAdam - Terry is the Founding Partner of The Consulting House which provides a range of strategy, risk and technology advisory services to growing organisations. He has previously held senior leadership roles, in Top Ten practices both in the UK and Ireland. A Chartered Accountant, Terry has led the deployment and adoption of technology as part of renewing the operational model within both practices and client businesses.