Question of the Day: "Will Robots Replace Accountants?"

[Author and Oxford lecturer Daniel Susskind] will be presenting a session entitled “Will Robots Replace Accountants?” at The ICAS Conference 2016. Excerpts from the preview:

“The thesis is, very broadly speaking, that we see two different futures for the professions, both of which rest upon technology.”

The first future bears a striking resemblance to the present day. Professionals will use increasingly sophisticated technologies to enhance their traditional ways of working.

The second future Daniel describes, however, is radically different from the first.

“Here technology doesn’t simply streamline and optimise that traditional approach, it actively displaces the work of traditional professionals.”

Comments, some too easy:

1) "Will robots replace accountants?" Wait, hasn't that already happened?

2) "Some of these systems will still require humans in order to function." Still? That's a relief.

3) Robot accountants don't make mistakes--and presumably will be hard-wired to be honest*--so bye-bye audits!
*Obviously, robot lawyers are many years away.

4) Robot accountants preparing financial statements and robot financial advisors making investments may be alarming, but if robots can do my tax returns I'm all in.