Is private equity betting on the wrong accounting firms? Blake and David break down CBIZ’s stock slide, why investors may be losing faith in the traditional firm model, and how AI could help smaller firms compete far above their size. They also cover Starbucks ditching AI inventory counts, Microsoft reining in AI tool costs, and what all of it means for accountants navigating automation, pricing, and the future of firm growth.
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Chapters
- (00:00) - TAP 490
- (02:53) - CBIZ Stock Slide
- (06:13) - AI Threat to Firm Models
- (11:32) - EisnerAmper Anti AI Take
- (15:42) - Livestream Shoutouts
- (16:13) - New England CPA Society Merge
- (20:42) - Starbucks Kills AI Inventory
- (23:34) - NASBA Exam Data Mess
- (26:34) - Phoenix Call Center Jobs and AI
- (28:36) - Will AI Really Kill Jobs
- (31:09) - Spreadsheets Then AI Now
- (33:07) - Automation Enables CFO Services
- (35:08) - Microsoft AI Token Shock
- (36:31) - Managing Token Spend
- (39:27) - AI Architect Role
- (43:36) - Trump IRS Settlement Reopened
- (45:04) - Beneficial Ownership Bill
- (45:52) - Newsom 100% Tax Threat
- (46:57) - KPMG Australia Whistleblower
- (49:35) - Xero Force No Code Agents
- (54:03) - Xero Earnings Melio Impact
- (59:03) - Vibe Coding Real Examples
- (01:02:35) - Wrap Up Earmark CPE
Show Notes
What Can We Learn from CBIZ?
https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/what-can-we-learn-from-cbiz
EisnerAmper on Accounting for AI
https://www.privatefundscfo.com/eisneramper-on-accounting-for-ai/
State Societies Merge to Form New England Society of CPAs
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/state-societies-merge-to-form-new-england-society-of-cpas
Starbucks Kills Off Its Automated Counting AI Tool After Just 9 Months
https://www.goingconcern.com/starbucks-kills-off-its-automated-counting-ai-tool-after-just-9-months-because-it-sucked-at-counting/
NASBA's CPA Exam Reporting Problems Are Improving, But Not Solved
https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/nasbas-cpa-exam-reporting-problems-are-improving-but-not-solved
Phoenix Built an Empire of Cubicle Jobs. AI Is Coming to Tear It Down.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/phoenix-jobs-ai-call-centers-1ca1c3b3
Why the A.I. Job Apocalypse (Probably) Won't Happen
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/opinion/ai-jobs-unemployment.html
Microsoft Cut Its Engineers Off from AI Because the Bill Got Too Big
https://fortune.com/2026/05/22/microsoft-ai-cost-problem-tokens-agents/
Does Your Firm Need an AI Architect?
https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/does-your-firm-need-an-ai-architect
Judge Reopens Trump's $10 Billion IRS Lawsuit
https://www.notus.org/donald-trump/trump-irs-suit-investigate-collusion
Newsom Vows California Will Impose 100% Tax on Trump's Anti-Weaponization Fund
https://abc7.com/post/newsom-vows-california-will-impose-100-tax-trumps-18-billion-anti-weaponization-fund/19188298/
AICPA Backs Bill Limiting Beneficial Ownership Reporting
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/aicpa-backs-bill-limiting-beneficial-ownership-reporting
KPMG Australia CEO Andrew Yates Resigns Amid Whistleblower Scandal
https://www.internationalaccountingbulletin.com/news/kpmg-australia-ceo-andrew-yates-resigns-amid-whistleblower-scandal/
Xero FY26 Result: Revenue Surges 31% but Profit Dips Due to Melio Acquisition Costs
https://www.fool.com.au/2026/05/14/xero-fy26-result-revenue-surges-31-but-profit-dips-due-to-melio-acquisition-costs/
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Get in Touch
Thanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.
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