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Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

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Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#21

Post by mierz00 »

bluefirebrand wrote: post #17
krapp wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But it’s a hell of a lot better than sifting through thousands of transactions manually which accountants do and get wrong all the time. I still wonder why humans getting things wrong is a problem, but LLMs getting more things more wrong more often than humans never is. At the very least you'll need a human accountant around to verify the LLM. Or I guess you could just practice "vibe accountancy" and hope things wo…

> I still wonder why humans getting things wrong is a problem, but LLMs getting more things more wrong more often than humans never is Some people hate humanity so much that they cannot wait to replace us all with AI so they never have to interact with another human ever again That's honestly the only reason I can think that they are so biased toward AI

I find this take so strange, do you find no value in AI?

I don’t even want AI to replace us, but it’s a great tool with many use cases.

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#22

Post by nrhrjrjrjtntbt »

Acct-Man wrote: post #4

I’m an accountant (CPA, CMA, Big 4), and while there’s some truth in what you’re saying, you’re significantly underestimating the complexity of applying GAAP, or even tax law. What you’re describing is really bookkeeping, not accounting, and there are plenty of tools that already automate that. There’s a lot of subjectivity in how GAAP is applied and interpreted - creating accruals, deciding when revenue should be re…

There is a big gap between bookkeeping and GAAP. E.g. your typical middle class with business expenses and some rental properties in different states.

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#23

Post by bluefirebrand »

mierz00 wrote: post #21
bluefirebrand wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I still wonder why humans getting things wrong is a problem, but LLMs getting more things more wrong more often than humans never is Some people hate humanity so much that they cannot wait to replace us all with AI so they never have to interact with another human ever again That's honestly the only reason I can think that they are so biased toward AI

I find this take so strange, do you find no value in AI? I don’t even want AI to replace us, but it’s a great tool with many use cases.

I weigh the economic value against the lives I believe is going to ruin and the damage I believe is going to do to society and the future of the human race and I do not find value there. I find ruin

There might be a way for us to adopt AI as a tool without bringing ruin to many people, but I don't believe that is the goal of anyone building AI.

As it stands, I don't believe there is anything ethical about AI in it's current form. So from that perspective, I vehemently deny there is any value in it

At one point in history, people like you were asking why anyone could be anti-slavery. After all, it was impossible to deny the economic value of slaves.

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#25

Post by impendia »

RaftPeople wrote: post #18
jononor wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the SMB scale accountants are mostly paid to coach/pester/goade the employees to hand in the necessary paperwork in time. The accountants job is relatively quick from there on.

> At the SMB scale accountants are mostly paid to coach/pester/goade the employees to hand in the necessary paperwork in time. The perfect job for AI.

I'm not sure if you're being sincere or sarcastic, but the whole reason that coaching, pestering, and goading works is that I value my relationship with the human who is doing it.

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#27

Post by brazukadev »

BjoernKW wrote: post #24

As indicated by the title, I wrote this post almost ten years ago: https://bjoernkw.com/2016/04/03/accounting-in-2016/ While minor aspects have improved since then, the overall problem indeed remains.

em dashes, eww... Looks AI generated. /s

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#28

Post by mierz00 »

bluefirebrand wrote: post #23
mierz00 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find this take so strange, do you find no value in AI? I don’t even want AI to replace us, but it’s a great tool with many use cases.

I weigh the economic value against the lives I believe is going to ruin and the damage I believe is going to do to society and the future of the human race and I do not find value there. I find ruin There might be a way for us to adopt AI as a tool without bringing ruin to many people, but I don't believe that is the goal of anyone building AI. As it stands, I don't believe there is anything ethical about AI in it's…

Why is AI unethical in its current form and what would make it ethical for you?

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#29

Post by mierz00 »

BjoernKW wrote: post #24

As indicated by the title, I wrote this post almost ten years ago: https://bjoernkw.com/2016/04/03/accounting-in-2016/ While minor aspects have improved since then, the overall problem indeed remains.

I understand your pain, but this is very country dependent.

For example, most of what you describe can be solved using Xero in Australia.

Re: Tell HN: AI coding is sexy, but accounting is the real low-hanging target

#30

Post by citizenpaul »

Lack of automation in accounting is a feature. Often even legally required.

I've actually be making this comment frequently of late. One of the reasons AI is so popular with c-suite is that most of the time they don't really care if things in the company work right. Just that it makes money.

Accounting will catch any errors that matter. AKA lose money.

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