Foresight: The CPA Podcast

Is the shift toward sustainability an added burden or a new opportunity for CPAs? Bettina Pierre-Gilles argues that we are entering a sort of golden age for accountants. As Pierre-Gilles explains, this is a fantastic time for CPAs. They have the opportunity to be at the start of this next societal wave where companies, society, and regulators are coming together to achieve a common goal. Bettina Pierre- Gilles is the founder and CEO and President of Luxeum Renewables Group Inc. in Calgary. She is also a director on multiple boards, a former provincial political candidate, a former CFO and a business consultant to Indigenous groups.

The rise in globalization and the ever-increasing sophistication of corruption schemes have exponentially expanded the scope of the professional accountant's role. The challenges CPAs currently face are significantly different from those encountered 20-25 years ago. It is important that CPAs rise to this challenge and equip themselves with the knowledge and skills to effectively combat misconduct at both a local and global level.  Our first guest, José Hernandez is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ortus Strategies, a consulting firm that helps companies rebuild ethics and compliance programs. Prior to this, he founded FGI Europe and has been closely involved in unraveling many high-profile corruption cases over the past two and a half decades. He frequently offers expert testimony to legislatures, parliament, and governments on combatting corruption.  “The first lesson is that accepting, tolerating corrupt regimes for an extended period of time, does inflict a tremendous human toll” says José, “in many ways, we've become too complacent… We really have to fight, and as accountants, custodians of this financial system. We need to fight even harder.” Michele Wood-Tweel speaks to the need for legislation to keep up with the ever-evolving practices of financial criminals, particularly in this country. Michelle is CPA Canada's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and supports the council of chief executive's public trust committee. “Corruption is ramping up across the globe and Canada is not immune. In the CPA profession, we have to be aware that the risk is ever-present.” Michele comments, “we have to be super aware of what is taking place. We have to rise to the occasion to make sure that we're asking the right questions.” Episode 8 explores the responsibility of the CPA role in a global effort to combat corruption. Key Takeaways: 1:32 - What the current situation in Russia/Ukraine can teach us about corruption 2:50 – The impact of international fraud on accountants 4:34 - The SNC Lavalin case  6:00 – How corruption has changed in the last few decades 8:29 – New challenges CPAs are facing 15:45 – How the Canadian government is trying to keep up with money laundering, particularly with the rise in virtual currency 19:26 – Examples of money laundering within Canada and what it means for Canadian accountants 21:27 – What to look out for as a CPA and how to stay on top of these rapid changes For more information on Canada's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing legislation (AML/ATF), please visit the following: AML/ATF Guide:  https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/business-and-accounting-resources/forensic-and-investigative-accounting/anti-money-laundering-and-anti-terrorist-financing-guide (Guide to comply with Canada's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing (AML/ATF) legislation) AML Resources:  https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/business-and-accounting-resources/forensic-and-investigative-accounting/anti-money-laundering/publications/anti-money-laundering-resources (Anti-money laundering resources) Learn more about CPA Canada's Foresight initiative, go to foresight.cpacanada.ca https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/podcast (Foresight: The CPA Podcast) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

Dans ce septième épisode de la deuxième saison du balado, Jean-Sébastien reçoit Pierre-Yves McSween, un invité qui porte plusieurs chapeaux. Effectivement, Pierre-Yves est non seulement CPA, mais aussi chroniqueur à la radio et animateur de l'émission L'indice McSween sur les ondes de Télé-Québec, en plus d'être l'auteur de plusieurs livres dont le livre : En as-tu vraiment besoin ? Il a aussi un passé en enseignement. Cet homme à tout faire réinvente la profession comptable traditionnelle en vulgarisant les règles du jeu financier au grand public à travers ses livres et les médias.   Au cours de l'épisode, Pierre-Yves nous éclaire sur son cheminement et sa routine hors du commun ainsi que sur sa façon de voir et de vulgariser les finances personnelles. Il explique aussi la plus-value que lui apporte sa formation de CPA au sein des médias. Finalement, il nous partage ses prédictions sur l'avenir de la comptabilité.   « Tu sais, les normes comptables, ça sert aux comptables et aux entreprises, mais les finances personnelles, ça touche 100 % des humains sur Terre. Même ceux qui ne sont pas financiers, ils vivent des conséquences économiques, ils vivent, disons, le mécanisme très violent du capital. Et donc, je me suis dit: Dans la vie, il vaut mieux apprendre aux gens à se servir des règles du jeu que de les combattre parce que les combattre, c'est long, tandis que savoir s'en servir, c'est accessible rapidement. » Pierre-Yves McSween, CPA, auteur, chroniqueur et animateur de L'indice McSween sur les ondes de Télé-Québec. [01:16] : Pierre-Yves nous décrit sa semaine typique et sa façon de naviguer la chronique, les enfants, les tournages et l'écriture. Il s'agit de journées très chargées, où il se lève très tôt et se couche très tard.   [04:42] : La formation de CPA est à l'avantage de Pierre-Yves maintenant qu'il travaille dans les médias. La plupart des journalistes et chroniqueurs nécessitent l'aide d'autres personnes pour bien comprendre l'information qu'ils doivent rapporter. Ce n'est pas son cas. Effectivement, il est en mesure de trouver et de comprendre l'information pertinente en seulement quelques secondes.   [05:41] : La vulgarisation devant les médias peut être comparée à l'enseignement, la différence étant le micro et le nombre de personnes qui reçoivent le message. L'enseignement a bien préparé l'invité pour sa carrière actuelle puisque c'est pendant son parcours en tant qu'enseignant qu'il a appris à répondre aux questions non préparées, parler en public et expliquer du matériel théorique en passant par l'humour pour une meilleure assimilation.  [06:42] : C'est à travers sa vie personnelle et en faisant lui-même face aux mécanismes du jeu financier que Pierre-Yves a goûté aux finances personnelles et qu'il s'est rendu compte que les gens n'avaient pas une bonne compréhension. Même certains comptables n'arrivent pas à optimiser leurs affaires. Ses expériences personnelles, jumelées à son expérience dans les banques pendant la crise financière, lui ont permis de développer beaucoup de bagage sur la compréhension technique du système et de se sentir utile.  [08:43] : Pierre-Yves nous explique qu'il ne vend pas du rêve. Il vend plutôt des mécanismes et explique les règles du jeu de la société, ce qui permet aux gens de mieux agir sur le plan financier et d'optimiser leur performance financière. Ces règles sont expliquées à travers ses livres qui nous éclairent notamment au niveau de la consommation, de la création de valeur et du jeu conjugal.  [10:18] : Les règles du jeu sont en constante évolution. Il faut donc revoir notre façon de jouer à chaque fois que le gouvernement sort de nouvelles mesures fiscales.  [14:12] : Si tu gagnes un million par année, ce n'est pas la même chose que si tu es CPA et que tu gagnes 39 000 $ par année en commençant. Toutefois, les deux cas sont soumis au même...

In this episode, we're asking how AI can help CPAs make smart decisions about capital allocation? One area that is notoriously difficult to analyze is marketing. Making smart decisions about marketing expenditures can be challenging because the correlation between marketing investment today and the long-term impact on financial results in the future is not obvious.  AI can help fill in this gap between decisions today and results months or years in the future. Our first guest Dave Bunce is the CEO of Morphio, a company that uses A.I. to analyze the effectiveness of marketing investments. He says AI is valuable to CPAs because, “It puts CPAs in the driver's seat of having access to information and insights they otherwise wouldn't have had, and that can apply across functions and across stakeholders.” Our second guest looks at what CPAs need to do to ensure they remain in the driver's seat and not become a passenger. Mario Malouin is a professor at the University du Québec de l'Outaouais and a member of the IEEE SBA Technology Experts Group. He breaks down the many steps CPAs need to take to feel confident in the data that they're getting from AI. He says CPAs need to do more than examine what is the source of the data, how the algorithm has been trained, how it has been tested, and how it has been deployed in real life.  “You need to zoom out and understand what is the task you want to give to what I call those intelligent agents. And this is key.” If you're interested in learning more about CPA Canada's Foresight Initiative, click on the link below. Key Moments: 02:50 Dave Bunce describes a case study where his team analyzed the impact of marketing decisions on revenue. 06:50  Mario Malouin breaks down the steps CPAs need to take to ensure they remain in the driver's seat with AI. 08:50  Mario describes the discussion CPAs need to have with their supplier of AI to feel confident it is the right tool for the right job. 12:27  How CPAs can choose between the various suppliers of off-the-shelf AI solutions. 18:55  How CPAs need to develop guiding principles like integrity or inclusion before embarking on any AI-enabled journey. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariomalouin/?originalSubdomain=ca (Mario Malouin) https://morphio.ai/?utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=morphio&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=SH_Campaign_Branded&hsa_mt=e&hsa_cam=1735943181&hsa_grp=69679489082&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_kw=morphio&hsa_tgt=kwd-335538318606&hsa_acc=2239340878&hsa_ad=498707020061&hsa_src=g&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwopWSBhB6EiwAjxmqDbWwF2IwKG0lHs8c6zlgGrUxIHflN_tCC95A9dyEeIXl1iyZ5pEm0BoCVj0QAvD_BwE (Morphio) https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcbunce/?originalSubdomain=ca (Dave Bunce) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/podcast (Foresight: The CPA Podcast) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

>> This is the first of two French episodes this season. English listeners can find show notes below along with links to the English transcript

Newly designated CPAs have a wide range of options ahead of them, but for many, the CFO office remains the ultimate goal.  However, today's CFO looks very different from decades past. Advanced technical skills are now just table stakes. CEOs are looking for CFOs to be strategic partners focused on growth and increasing shareholder value.   According to our first guest, this means aspiring CFOs need to accumulate a wide range of experiences beyond finance. Ross Woledge is Partner at Odgers Berndtson, an international executive search firm. He is head of the firm's CFO practice. Ross says CEOs are looking for CFOs who have experience running business lines, managing a wide range of employees and building value for shareholders. “The technical is absolutely table stakes, and you need that. You can't get to the strategic without that, but having that strategic acumen, CEOs are absolutely adamant that that's what they want,” says Ross Woledge. Geoff Lowe agrees with this. He is CFO for Enercare, one of North America's largest energy services providers. It's a bit of a switch from positions he held earlier in digital media and publishing with Rogers.   “Today's companies are so dynamic, and they require CFOs to have, really the full range of technical finance knowledge but also combined with having the requisite leadership skills, along with strategic and commercial acumen,”  he says.  He adds, “Sometimes it's easier said than done.” Today's episode lays out a roadmap to the modern CFO office. Key Takeaways: 1:15  - What recruiters are looking for when seeking CFO candidates 2:45  - How the CPA designation offers a critical competitive advantage to candidates 6:30  - Examples of CFOs whose career paths moved beyond finance 12:35 - Why we are entering the era of the CFO 14:17 - Judy Adam describes her journey to CFO of Fire and Flower 17:25 - Judy Adam describes how her role as CFO encompasses a lot more than just overseeing finance. 18:42 - Advice to CPAs who've got their sights set on the CFO position Learn more about CPA Canada's Foresight initiative, go to foresight.cpacanada.ca https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/podcast (Foresight: The CPA Podcast) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

As organizations generate larger and larger amounts of data, traditional accounting practices like audits are increasingly difficult to perform effectively without the help of technology like AI.  And while AI presents CPAs with the opportunity to expand skillsets and manage massive datasets, it also comes with significant risks. In this episode, David McGuffin speaks with professional accountant Rachel Kirkham ​​about how she navigates a path between the opportunities and risks of AI in her role as Vice President of Analytics and Data Science for the accounting tech firm MindBridge. She says a key risk is the potential for biases to creep into the ways data is collected and interpreted. Rachel tells David, “There are a bunch of different things that you have to think about and there are techniques to mitigate against biases but it's about being aware of them as a data scientist. An awareness that this is something that you actually need to explicitly consider and manage as a risk.” The narrow wedge between the promise and the perils of technology is what Laura and Brian Friedrich call the double-edged sword of technology for accountants. They wrote a paper exploring this issue in collaboration with CPA Canada, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA). Brian tells David that balancing the risks and rewards of technology requires CPAs to bring their public interest mandate to the front of their professional practice, “That's what has to be held above all else…when things start to look like they're crossing the line, or if there's a risk of them crossing the line that you're able to stand back and ask the important questions about what's this tech really going to be doing? And does it seem appropriate for us to do that? Has there been enough testing of those sorts of things?” Key Moments: 4:31 Rachel Kirkham discusses the potential dangers of machine learning algorithms 5:42 Rachel describes steps that need to be taken to remove bias from algorithms 9:03 Rachel describes how AI can improve audits. 11:40 How the MindBridge algorithms were audited by University College London 14:03 Rachel speaks to how CPAs can balance the risks and opportunities of AI 16:00 Why the accounting designation came into play when designing and developing the Mindbridge AI 20:00 Brian Friedrich on the critical role CPAs play in managing the opportunities and risks of AI 21:38 Why CPAs need to keep their public interest mandate front and centre as these advanced tools evolve. Resources: https://foresight.cpacanada.ca (CPA Canada Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/trust-and-ethics/technology-double-edged-sword (Technology is a double-edged sword) https://www.mindbridge.ai/ (MindBridge) https://www.mindbridge.ai/company/leadership/rachel-kirkham/ (Rachel Kirkham) https://www.linkedin.com/company/friedrich-&-friedrich-corp-/about/ (friedrich and friedrich corp.)

The drive towards digital transformation is creating new opportunities, new business models, and emerging leadership positions for CPAs who are up for the challenge. In this episode, we hear from two CPAs who are driving this shift towards digital.  First up is Josh Zwieg, co-founder and CEO of Live CA, Canada's first and largest online accounting firm. Josh says his customers are looking for more advanced reporting and more advanced analysis and to stay competitive, he needs, “technology to stay at the forefront because that's in fact what our customers are asking for."  However, Josh also says the biggest challenge to successful digital transformation is not technology per se, but people.   “Technology isn't the solution. It is part of the solution. And what we need to do is really understand the needs of the other person on the other side, to really understand their goals and to be conscious of them when doing an implementation. This is fundamentally important to a successful transformation.” David's next guest agrees. Nat D'Ercole is a partner at Deloitte where he's the data transformation leader for Deloitte Canada's artificial intelligence practice.  He tells David, the human aspects of being a leader are critical,  “Leading with empathy, understanding what's important to the leaders participating in your transformation, what are they looking to get out of the initiative in terms of their own personal growth? So having that connection with your leaders and helping them to be successful on their own personal journeys is a very important human aspect of leading transformation.” Nat encourages CPAs to develop a mindset that spots the opportunity that comes with perpetual change, “The new normal is that there is no normal and having a mindset that there isn't a beginning and an end to a particular transformation or a particular project or program. There'll continue to be change thrown at you and the need to continue to absorb that, understand that and push forward to embed improvements in processes,” says Nat. Highlights: 2:05 Josh Zweig talks about the lack of a formal business plan in the early days of LiveCA 4:28 The market gap LiveCA fills 5:36 How today, LiveCA is both an accounting services firm and a technology services firm 10:30 Josh Zweig on how the human element is the most common obstacle companies face as they implement digital transformation. 14:50 Nat D'Ercole on whether or not CPAs have the skills needed to drive digital transformation 16:00 How CPAs can insert themselves in leadership roles in digital transformation 19:15 The mindset that drives successful digital transformation https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/podcast (Foresight: The CPA Podcast) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

This first episode of the second season zeroes in on the need for CPAs to develop a growth mindset.  Someone with a growth mindset loves to innovate; is quick to embrace new technologies, and seeks out new ways of doing traditional activities.  This growth mindset is especially important for mid-career CPAs as they begin rubbing shoulders with new entrants to the profession who have moved through the updated CPA Competency Map.  In this episode host, David McGuffin speaks with Irene Wiecek. Irene is a professor of accounting at the University of Toronto and she was part of the team that created the new Competency Map.  Irene says CPA's of the future will “Get up every day thirsty to say, ‘What can I make better?', ‘How can I improve performance today?', and that to me is going to be the big change.'' That definitely describes how Andrew Morgan approaches his role at EY. Andrew is a partner in charge of data analytics for the financial services audit practice. He's also a member of EY's audit innovation lab.  Andrew speaks to David about the ways he has brought innovation to the audit process. Just one example, he now has a pilot's license to fly drones over parking lots and through warehouses to conduct audits.  He tells David, “You always want to be curious about new technology and emerging methods. It keeps the audit interesting, keeps your professional life interesting, you don't want to repeat the same procedures again and again for 30 or 40 years.'' Highlights: 1:32 Irene describes the CPA of the future 3:40 Not having a growth mindset is the real danger to CPAs 5:02 How mid-career CPAs need to think about supporting staff to be curious 6:50 How Andrew came up with the idea to use a drone to conduct audits 10:13 Using the drone for warehouse audits 16:15 How Andrew fosters an ‘evergreen mindset' that stays curious about new approaches to traditional practices. 17:07 It will be critical for CPAs to have this innovator's mindset over the next decade 18:00 Ashley Alvarez gives her top tips for CPAs looking for resources to nurture the evergreen mindset. https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/data-governance/mastering-data (Mastering data: A series of articles for CPAs) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/career-and-professional-development/webinars/trends-issues/technology-and-information-management/advanced-data-management-certificate/business-intelligence-automation-ai (Advanced Data Management Certificate Program) https://learning.cpacanada.ca/ (CPA Canada Learning Portal ) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA Canada English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA Canada Francais)

As the accounting industry adapts to a new digital era, CPAs need to expand their role as key ethical leaders in organizations. Laura and Brian Friedrich, principals at Friedrich and Friedrich Corp. and co-authors of the article “Ethical Leadership in an Era of Complexity and Digital Change,” weigh in on the broader responsibilities faced by accountants when engaging in big picture planning and institution-wide decision making.  On this episode of Foresight: The CPA Podcast, Laura and Brian field real-world examples as they dive into topics including automation, change management, the human aspect of transitions, AI, and skill sets that keep accountants central to the economy.  https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative/podcast (Foresight: The CPA Podcast) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

Note to English listeners: this is our second and final French episode for this season of Foresight. Links to English resources can be found at the bottom of the show notes. « Nous, on est surpris quand on a une conversation, parce que parfois on reçoit des spécialistes de la transformation numérique, ils nous demandent, “Qu'est-ce qu'un CPA vient faire ici?” Après une demi-heure, trois quarts d'heure de discussion sur comment on traite l'information financière, c'est comme un eurêka, un moment eurêka pour eux. Ils se disent : “Bien oui, on ne va pas réinventer la roue, ça existe déjà.” » — Michel Girard, agrégé supérieur de recherche au Centre pour l'innovation dans la gouvernance internationale Dans ce cinquième épisode, Marc-André Paquette, directeur de la transformation de la profession et des projets spéciaux à l'Ordre des CPA du Québec, est de retour, cette fois suivi d'un nouvel invité, Michel Girard, agrégé supérieur de recherche au Centre pour l'innovation dans la gouvernance internationale. Faisant suite au dernier épisode sur l'importance qu'aura l'intelligence artificielle dans la profession comptable, les invités développent sur les dimensions éthiques reliées aux nouvelles technologies ainsi que sur l'importance du rôle des CPA dans l'entraînement et la configuration de celles-ci. Les invités discutent entre autres du contrôle que devront maintenir les CPA sur la qualité des données et l'accès aux données afin de protéger l'intérêt public et de s'assurer que les machines intelligentes prendront des décisions moralement justifiables et cohérentes avec les valeurs actuelles de notre société. 1:26 : Pour que l'intelligence artificielle puisse prendre des décisions éthiques qui se justifient dans le contexte actuel, les systèmes d'intelligence artificielle doivent être entraînés et configurés avec attention. Effectivement, pour l'instant, l'intelligence artificielle n'est pas en mesure de distinguer le bien du mal. 3:24 : Près de 80 % du temps passé à utiliser l'intelligence artificielle devrait être dédié à la préparation et au raffinement des données. Avant même de transférer les données dans le système intelligent, il faut s'assurer que la base de données est exempte d'erreurs, représentative à la fois de l'historique décisionnel et des décisions que nous voulons appliquer dans le futur. 5:55 : La pandémie a été un grand accélérateur du virage numérique qui a forcé les administrateurs et les CPA à repenser aux problématiques urgentes. 7:40 : Les CPA auront un rôle important à jouer relativement à la chaîne de valeur des données qui est composée de trois maillons : La collecte des données  L'accès aux données et le partage des données  L'analyse des données  10:15 : Les CPA ne sont pas là pour remplacer ou concurrencer les autres intervenants de la chaîne de gestion des données, tels que les mathématiciens ou les ingénieurs, mais plutôt pour leur apporter une valeur ajoutée en intervenant entre autres sur les plans des affaires et de la gouvernance. 13:36 : Avec le retour tranquille à la normale à la suite de la pandémie, les CPA devraient prioriser la mise en place d'un cadre pour la stratégie de transformation numérique et la création d'une politique pour gérer les données. Les CPA devraient aussi se poser des questions d'intégration, par exemple sur la manière d'assumer la propriété intellectuelle des données. 16:48 : 95 % des entreprises au Canada sont des petites entreprises. La plupart des petites ou moyennes entreprises n'ont pas de Chief Data Officer qui s'occupe de prendre des décisions en matière de données. C'est donc sur ce plan que les CPA pourront fournir une valeur ajoutée à ces entreprises, en assumant ce rôle en plus d'exécuter leur rôle habituel de gestion d'états financiers. 19:31 : La réglementation autour des outils d'intelligence artificielle est au stade embryonnaire, mais cela ne...

This episode is in French. English listeners can find translations of the transcript and show notes through the links below. "Où est-ce qu'on se projette dans 20 ans? L'intelligence artificielle va être comme un collègue vers qui on se réfère pour supporter nos analyses. C'est quelqu'un qu'on va challenger, c'est une machine dont on va questionner les hypothèse" -- Marc-André Paquette, directeur de la transformation de la profession et des projets spéciaux à l'Ordre des CPA du Québec L'intelligence artificielle est un domaine en constante évolution qui prend de plus en plus d'importance dans le monde actuel. Il n'est donc pas surprenant que les professionnels comptables se questionnent sur la place qu'occupera éventuellement l'intelligence artificielle dans la profession et sur la façon dont celle-ci changera leur rôle.   Dans ce premier épisode en français, les invités Marc-André Paquette, directeur de la transformation de la profession et des projets spéciaux à l'Ordre des CPA du Québec, et Mario Malouin, membre de l'Ordre des CPA du Québec et de l'Ordre des CPA de l'Ontario, nous éclairent sur le sujet. Plus précisément, ils nous expliquent les forces et les faiblesses de l'intelligence artificielle et comment les professionnels comptables devront apprendre à travailler avec cette nouvelle technologie afin d'optimiser leurs procédures et de rendre leur travail plus efficace.   2:44 : Bien comprendre le rôle que pourrait avoir prochainement l'intelligence artificielle dans le domaine comptable va requérir que les organisations passent à travers une phase exploratoire, par exemple avec des projets pilotes.  4:24 : Avant même de penser à la technologie, les professionnels devraient prendre le temps de cerner les systèmes moins efficaces au sein de leur pratique et la façon de les optimiser. Analyser la contribution potentielle de l'intelligence artificielle s'agit d'une deuxième étape.  7:10 : Afin d'éviter des problèmes dans les années à venir, les professionnels devront conserver leur rôle décisionnel et éviter de se fier aveuglément à l'intelligence artificielle. Ils devront faire preuve de jugement et continuellement remettre en question et contextualiser les analyses qui sont effectuées par l'intelligence artificielle.  10:14 : Il y a quatre composantes importantes à l'intelligence artificielle :  La définition d'objectifs  L'adaptation à un environnement évolutif  L'apprentissage  La capacité de faire des choix appropriés compte tenu des limites  12:30 : L'intelligence artificielle est loin d'être rendue à un niveau où elle peut nous permettre d'accomplir énormément de tâches avec précision. Il s'agit donc d'une approche hélicoptère que de dire que l'intelligence artificielle va remplacer beaucoup d'emplois. L'intelligence artificielle a pour but non pas de remplacer l'humain, mais d'assister l'humain dans son travail.  16:09 : Un tournant dans l'histoire de l'intelligence artificielle a été la conférence de Dartmouth en 1956, où plus de vingt chercheurs se sont réunis et le concept de l'apprentissage machine a vu le jour.  17:27 : Afin d'aborder les enjeux relatifs à l'intelligence artificielle, les CPA et la profession devront jouer un rôle important dans les années à venir. L'intelligence artificielle devra être bien réglementée. D'ailleurs, on voit déjà des tentatives de réglementation dans l'Union européenne et aux États-Unis.  19:43 : Les concepteurs et utilisateurs de l'intelligence artificielle devront s'assurer qu'elle n'utilise pas de données discriminatoires. L'humain moyen comporte à peu près 188 biais dont il ne se rend même pas compte. C'est pourquoi il faudra soutenir l'idée d'avoir des équipes multidisciplinaires pour développer les algorithmes.  21:25 : Pour mieux se préparer à un futur où l'intelligence artificielle risque fort bien d'être de plus en...

Are financial statements relics of the past? A myriad of financial tools and alternative sources of information have crowded a space once dominated by financial statements and the accountants who prepared them.  But as AI grows more sophisticated and the sources of financial data continue to expand, can CPAs maintain their role at the centre of economic activity? David McGuffin speaks with Jon Lukmonik, Managing Director of Sinclair Capital and Cathy Cobey, the EY Global Trusted A.I. Advisory Leader, about how big data and AI change everything about investing. And how CPAs need to respond to thrive in this new environment. “(CPAs) need to understand how financial statements link to the broader universe of data, And if that happens, the centrality of the profession to the economy will continue. But if not, then, unfortunately, they could become the weavers of the 21st century," says Jon Lukomnik. In this episode, they discuss: 1m:00s How investing has dramatically changed over the past two decades and the profound implications of these changes to the role financial statements play in investment decisions. 5m: 30 secs Why CPAs need to understand how financial statements link to the broader universe of data, both structured and unstructured, if they wish to remain central to the economy. 9m:10 secs How AI fails differently from humans. 9m:40 secs A great example of AI mistaking an image of a house for an airplane or an image of a teddy bear for a gun when just a couple of pixels are altered. 13m: 30 secs How ‘we need to weave ‘trust-by-design' into the earliest stages of AI projects to mitigate potential risks. 15m: 00 secs What role should CPAs play in creating governance and integrity over data? 18m: 30 secs How CPAs need to educate themselves about AI and get involved in projects in their organization where it is being used to thrive in this new environment. https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

When a World Economic Forum study found accountants and auditors to be the fourth most likely professions to decrease, it was "a huge wake-up call for the industry,"  said Tim Jackson. He is chair of the Competency Map Task Force, responsible for creating CPA Canada's new competency map.  In this episode, Tim describes both the daunting challenges CPAs face, as well as the opportunities the profession's ever-changing landscape presents. He says that we've seen significant changes within the profession over the last two decades that have necessitated new skills and the adoption of new ideas and technologies.   And when we look to the future of accounting, the trend of constant change looks likely only to accelerate.   https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

Our first episode explores what sustainability means in the financial world and what role CPAs play in creating a greener future.  Davinder Valeri, CPA, CA. Davinder (director of strategy, risk and performance with CPA Canada) and EY Canada East Leader Anne-Marie Hubert discuss this critical shift in the future of our accounting profession.  They discuss: How environmental sustainability and accounting are increasingly interconnected? ( 0m: 35secs) How CPAs are playing a pivotal role in creating a better future (2m:26 secs) How the pandemic has accelerated sustainability efforts (10m:37secs) The 8 things the roadmap to a sustainable future must include (17m:47secs) What should new CPAs do to position themselves for success in this new space? (20m:14secs) We have the privilege to live in a world at a time where investors recognize that you will drive greater value for your investors if you drive value for your customers, your employees and society." -- Anne-Marie Hubert https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)

Foresight: the CPA Podcast is set to launch July 15, 2021, but here's a small taste of what you can expect to hear. David McGuffin is the host for the English episodes in the series. David has reported around the world as a journalist for CBC. He was most recently a Supervising Editor for National Public Radio in Washington DC. Episodes four and five will be in French and hosted by Jean-Sébastien Marie. Jean-Sébastien est un journaliste et pédagogue basé à Ottawa. Jean-Sébastien a plus d'une décennie d'expérience comme journaliste et réalisateur. Il est également instructeur en journalisme numérique et data storytelling à l'Université d'Ottawa et à l'Université Carleton. https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/foresight-initiative (CPA's Foresight Initiative) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/devenir-cpa (Devenir CPA) https://www.cpacanada.ca/en (CPA English) https://www.cpacanada.ca/fr/ (CPA French)