AI tax research adoption nearly doubles at firms, survey finds

A new survey from Blue J and CPA.com says 60% of tax professionals now use AI-powered tax research at least weekly, up from 33% a year earlier. The report points to a shift from experimentation to workflow adoption, with firms using AI to save time, expand advisory work and rethink billing models.

Why it matters: - AI-powered tax research is moving from pilot projects into core firm operations. - The shift could change how accounting firms staff work, serve clients and price services. - The findings suggest AI is affecting both productivity and the business model of tax practices.

What happened: - Blue J and CPA.com released the second annual AI Tax Research Solution Outlook Report. - The survey included more than 1,000 tax professionals across the United States. - 60% of respondents now use AI for tax research at least weekly, up from 33% in 2025. - 32% of respondents said their firms are considering adopting AI in the near future.

The details: - Respondents said they use AI most often for advisory projects at 44% and tax planning at 40%. - Compliance research followed at 39%, document analysis at 36% and drafting at 35%. - 84% of respondents agreed AI saves time. - 50% said they want to use that time to improve client response and delivery timelines. - 47% pointed to better staff work-life balance. - 46% said they would use the time to deliver higher-quality advice. - 69% of respondents expect to move toward value-based, hybrid or fixed-fee billing.

Between the lines: - The report shows AI is being used less as a novelty and more as workflow infrastructure. - The strongest use cases are the ones closest to client-facing advisory work, not just rote research. - The billing shift signals that firms may be rethinking how they charge as routine tax knowledge becomes easier to automate. - Benjamin Alarie, Blue J’s CEO and co-founder, said the industry is past the tipping point and that AI is giving practitioners more time to exercise judgment and engage with clients. - Matt Brewer of Sorren said clients are looking more for trusted-advisor relationships and that AI is freeing staff to move into more client-facing roles. - Brandon Allfrey of CPA.com said AI is becoming foundational to the modern tax workflow and helping firms deliver more proactive advisory services.

What’s next: - CPA.com said it will keep supporting firms through tax transformation initiatives focused on workflow modernization, technology adoption and advisory evolution. - Firms can participate in CPA.com’s Tax Transformation Benchmark Survey to compare their own strategies and technology use. - The full report is available for download as the AI Tax Research Solution Outlook Report 2026.

The bottom line: - Tax firms are no longer asking whether AI belongs in research workflows; the bigger question is how fast they can reshape staffing, client service and pricing around it.