AI and automation are transforming the tax profession, reshaping how we work and the value we bring to our clients.
Compliance is increasingly digitised, real-time reporting is becoming the norm, and AI-powered software handles many routine calculations that once defined our role as tax professionals. However, while technology advances rapidly, it’s not replacing people in tax, it’s enhancing and elevating our value and skillset.
How Saffery works with AI
At Saffery, we see AI technology as an important tool that sharpens our expertise and enhances how we serve our clients rather than diminishes professional judgment.
While automation can process big quantities of data with impressive efficiency, it lacks nuanced reasoning, strategic foresight, and deep market understanding that fosters exceptional tax advice.
As the tax landscape becomes more complex, our ability to interpret, advise, and build trusted relationships remains at the core of great professionals.
Future tax abilities: beyond compliance
The shift toward automation is not new, its use has accelerated in recent years. Many tax teams expanded beyond traditional compliance-focused roles, taking on broader advisory responsibilities, risk management, and providing strategic insights. AI has amplified this shift. Increasingly, technical tax knowledge is just one part of a much broader skillset, which
also requires digital fluency and strong interpersonal acumen.
To stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape, tax professionals must build on the strengths that AI cannot replicate, such as:
- Interpreting complexity, not just processing data.
AI generates tax calculations, but professionals must translate that information into meaningful, commercially sound advice. - Navigating an evolving tax environment.
With digital tax administration, ESG-related tax policies, and real-time reporting becoming more prevalent, advisory skills have never been more critical. - Building trusted long-term client relationships.
Technology improves efficiency, but excellent tax advisory still relies on human understanding, clear communication, and ethical judgment.
How firms must adapt to prepare for the future
To truly harness AI’s potential, firms must embed it in their operations while ensuring that teams have the right mix of technical expertise, advisory capability, and digital literacy.
At Saffery, we do that by:
- Recruiting for adaptability, not just technical tax expertise.
Deep tax knowledge is essential, but so is confidence in using technology to develop new insightful and forward-thinking solutions. - Investing in AI literacy and advisory training.
Our tailored development programmes empower specialists to use AI tools effectively and interpret their outputs with clarity and market awareness. - Evolving our approach to talent development.
AI-driven learning initiatives allow us to elevate our training processes, ensuring our teams continuously upskill and specialise for the future. - Expanding our AI capabilities.
We’re shaping new AI-driven business areas to enhance our client offerings and our internal IT infrastructure. Read more about how our tax teams are using Tolley+ AI.
What lies ahead?
Join the conversation
Proactive and strategic tax governance is no longer optional but essential – and that makes this a particularly rewarding time to work in tax. We’re actively shaping what the future of tax looks like, for our clients and for our teams — and AI is a key part of that transformation. If you’re passionate about helping businesses navigate governance challenges with clarity, confidence, and the support of cutting-edge technology, we’d love to hear from you.
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