Canadian audit and accounting firms accelerate AI investment as adoption gathers pace

New study, sponsored by Caseware, shows Canada accelerating in AI adoption and future investment intent, signaling a market moving with purpose to scale AI across audit and accounting

TORONTO, April 28, 2026: Audit and accounting firms in Canada are not just adopting artificial intelligence, they are accelerating into it, with stronger current adoption and higher future investment intent than global peers, according to a new study from IDC, sponsored by Caseware.

Findings from the global IDC study, The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era, show that 64%* of Canadian firms have already embedded AI into firm strategy, are widely using it in select functions or have pilot projects underway, compared to 66%** globally.

Looking ahead, 68%* of Canadian respondents plan to adopt AI technologies within the next two years, significantly above the global average of 59%**.

Together, these figures point to a market that is not only ahead in adoption but actively investing to expand and scale AI across the profession.

Canada is ahead on both adoption and intent

Globally, around two thirds of firms have moved beyond the exploratory phase of AI adoption. In Canada, that figure is higher still, reinforcing that AI is already embedded in how firms operate day to day. The 9-point gap between Canada and the global average on future adoption plans signals that this investment is only gathering pace.

AI is moving from pilots to performance

The data suggests Canadian firms have moved past early experimentation and are now focused on scaling AI across the business. Rather than limiting AI to isolated use cases, firms are expanding its role in areas such as data analysis, workflow automation and insight generation, embedding it deeper into audit and accounting processes.

Data fluency and technology literacy top the skills agenda

The shift from planning to deployment is also prompting a sharper focus on the capabilities firms will need to sustain it.

Data analysis and interpretation is identified as the most critical skill for accounting professionals in an AI-driven world by 35%* of Canadian respondents, followed by technology and AI literacy (27%*) and critical thinking, cited by 20%*. The global picture is broadly aligned, with data analysis also ranking first at 33%**, followed by technology and AI literacy at 28%**.

Investment momentum is building

Canada stands out as one of the few markets where both current adoption and future intent are elevated simultaneously – a signal of strong confidence in AI’s ability to deliver measurable outcomes. Firms are investing in technology, skills and infrastructure to support broader deployment, recognizing that competitive advantage will increasingly come from how effectively AI is embedded into everyday work, not just piloted.

“Canada stands out because firms are pushing forward on both fronts at once. They are already using AI and they are still investing heavily in what comes next,” said David Marquis, chief executive officer at Caseware. “In many markets, you see a trade-off between adoption and future plans. In Canada, you see both. That is what creates momentum, and it suggests firms are seeing real value today and are committed to scaling that advantage. As a Canadian tech company, we are proud to be leading Canadian firms into the agentic future.”

About the research: ‍

The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era is an IDC study, sponsored by Caseware, based on a December 2025 survey of over 1,000 audit and accounting decision-makers across Australia, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, the UK & Ireland and the United States.

* IDC Resource Map, Sponsored by Caseware, The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era, #US54483126, April 2026.

** IDC InfoBrief, Sponsored by Caseware, The Future of Audit and Accounting in the AI Era, #US54248126-IB, February 2026.

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