Wolters Kluwer Showcases Agentic AI Innovations at AICPA ENGAGE 2026, Redefining the Future of Tax and Accounting Workflows
The tax and accounting profession is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. Increasing regulatory complexity, persistent talent shortages, evolving client expectations, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies are reshaping how firms operate and deliver value. While automation has helped firms improve efficiency over the past decade, the industry is now entering a new era where intelligence-driven systems are expected to do more than simply automate routine tasks. The next frontier is agentic AI—technology capable of proactively supporting, advancing, and orchestrating work across complex professional workflows.
At AICPA ENGAGE 2026, one of the accounting profession’s premier conferences, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting demonstrated how this future is already taking shape. The company unveiled a range of innovations powered by its Expert AI technology and integrated throughout the CCH Axcess™ platform, offering firms a glimpse into a more connected, intelligent, and efficient way of working.
The showcase highlighted how tax and accounting firms can move beyond isolated software tools and embrace AI-powered workflows that connect data, expertise, processes, and people in a unified cloud environment. Through solutions such as CCH Axcess Advisor, CCH Axcess Intelligence, CCH Axcess Audit, and emerging agentic AI capabilities, Wolters Kluwer is positioning itself at the forefront of the industry’s next technological evolution.
The Tax and Accounting Profession Faces a Turning Point
The accounting industry has experienced dramatic change over the past several years. Firms of all sizes are facing mounting pressure to do more with fewer resources.
One of the most pressing challenges is the ongoing shortage of qualified accounting professionals. As experienced practitioners retire and fewer graduates enter the profession, firms are struggling to maintain staffing levels while managing increasing workloads.
At the same time, regulatory requirements continue to grow more complex. Tax codes evolve frequently, compliance obligations expand, and reporting standards become increasingly sophisticated. Professionals must process larger volumes of information while ensuring accuracy and compliance.
Adding to these pressures, clients are no longer satisfied with traditional compliance-focused services alone. Businesses increasingly expect their accountants and advisors to provide strategic guidance, proactive insights, and data-driven recommendations that contribute directly to business growth and decision-making.
These converging trends have created a need for technology solutions that do more than automate repetitive tasks. Firms require intelligent systems capable of helping professionals navigate complexity, identify opportunities, and deliver higher-value services.
This is where agentic AI enters the conversation.
Moving Beyond Automation to Agentic Intelligence
Traditional automation technologies are designed to execute predefined tasks according to established rules. While these tools have significantly improved efficiency, they often require human intervention to manage workflows, interpret results, and determine next steps.
Agentic AI represents a more advanced approach.
Rather than simply responding to commands, agentic AI can proactively analyze information, identify relevant actions, suggest recommendations, and help move work forward while maintaining appropriate human oversight.
For tax and accounting firms, this means AI systems can become active participants in workflows rather than passive tools.
At AICPA ENGAGE 2026, Wolters Kluwer emphasized how agentic AI has the potential to transform the profession by enabling software to assist professionals throughout the entire engagement lifecycle—from document collection and data processing to research, advisory services, audit activities, and client collaboration.
According to Jason Marx, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting, the future of the profession will be defined by how effectively firms harness intelligence within their workflows.
Rather than requiring users to switch between multiple disconnected applications, Wolters Kluwer’s strategy centers on embedding Expert AI directly into the environment where work is already being performed.
The Role of CCH Axcess in the AI Transformation
At the center of Wolters Kluwer’s vision is CCH Axcess, the company’s cloud-native platform designed specifically for tax and accounting firms.
The platform serves as a unified ecosystem that brings together multiple functions including:
- Tax preparation
- Audit management
- Document management
- Workflow automation
- Client collaboration
- Advisory services
- Practice management
- Firm administration
Instead of treating artificial intelligence as a standalone application layered on top of existing systems, Wolters Kluwer has integrated Expert AI directly into the platform’s core architecture.
This approach allows AI capabilities to operate within the context of real firm data, client information, documents, workflows, and professional expertise.
As a result, intelligence becomes embedded throughout the work process rather than existing as a separate tool that requires users to leave their workflow.
The company believes this integration is critical to unlocking meaningful productivity gains and enabling firms to scale operations more effectively.
Expert AI: The Intelligence Layer Behind the Platform
A major focus of the company’s presentation at ENGAGE was Expert AI, the embedded intelligence engine that powers AI-driven capabilities across the CCH Axcess ecosystem.
Unlike generic AI systems trained on broad internet content, Expert AI combines authoritative Wolters Kluwer professional content with firm-specific data and workflow context.
This distinction is particularly important in highly regulated industries such as tax and accounting, where accuracy, trust, and compliance are essential.
By grounding AI-generated responses in verified professional resources and integrating them directly into firm workflows, Wolters Kluwer aims to provide professionals with greater confidence in the insights and recommendations generated by the system.
The result is an AI framework that not only delivers information but also helps professionals apply that information effectively within their daily work.
Enhancing Audit Workflows with Agentic AI
One of the most notable demonstrations at AICPA ENGAGE involved CCH Axcess Audit.
Audit engagements often require extensive documentation review, evidence collection, risk assessment, and compliance verification. These activities can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, particularly when managing large volumes of data.
Wolters Kluwer showcased how agentic workflows within CCH Axcess Audit can streamline many of these activities.
The solution combines audit methodology, engagement data, firm knowledge, and document context to help professionals automate routine activities, analyze information more efficiently, and identify relevant next steps.
Importantly, the system is designed to maintain human oversight throughout the process.
Rather than replacing auditors, the technology supports professionals by reducing administrative burdens and enabling them to focus more attention on judgment-based tasks that require expertise and critical thinking.
This balance between automation and professional control reflects the company’s broader philosophy regarding AI adoption within the profession.
Transforming Tax Preparation Through Intelligent Data Collection
Another major innovation highlighted at the event was CCH Axcess Scan.
Data collection remains one of the most resource-intensive aspects of tax preparation. Professionals frequently spend significant amounts of time gathering documents, extracting information, validating entries, and organizing data before tax work can even begin.
CCH Axcess Scan addresses this challenge through AI-powered document processing capabilities.
The solution automates the ingestion, extraction, categorization, and validation of information from tax documents, including Schedule K-1 forms and other commonly used records.
Once processed, the structured data flows directly into tax preparation workflows within the CCH Axcess platform.
This significantly reduces manual data entry requirements while helping improve consistency and accuracy.
The benefits extend beyond efficiency alone. By accelerating data collection and preparation processes, firms can complete engagements more quickly, improve turnaround times, and increase overall client satisfaction.
Delivering Trusted Insights Through CCH Axcess Intelligence
Research and decision-making represent another area where AI can provide significant value.
Tax professionals and accountants regularly encounter complex questions that require authoritative answers supported by current regulations, standards, and guidance.
CCH Axcess Intelligence addresses this need by delivering citation-backed insights directly within the workflow.
Instead of requiring users to search across multiple databases or external resources, the system provides relevant information, recommendations, and next-step guidance at the point of need.
This integration helps reduce research time while supporting more informed decision-making.
By embedding trusted expertise directly into daily workflows, firms can improve both productivity and confidence when addressing complex client issues.
Expanding Advisory Services Through CCH Axcess Advisor
As client expectations evolve, many firms are seeking to expand beyond compliance work and develop higher-value advisory offerings.
Advisory services often generate stronger client relationships and provide opportunities for firms to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
CCH Axcess Advisor is designed to support this transition.
The solution helps firms identify advisory opportunities across their client base by analyzing relevant data and surfacing potential areas where strategic guidance may provide value.
Rather than relying solely on manual reviews or ad hoc observations, firms can use AI-driven insights to uncover opportunities for proactive engagement.
This capability supports a broader industry shift toward consultative service models where accountants serve as strategic business advisors rather than solely compliance specialists.
Measurable Results Demonstrate Real-World Impact
Beyond showcasing future possibilities, Wolters Kluwer also highlighted tangible outcomes already being achieved by firms using its AI-powered solutions.
One of the most compelling examples involves CCH Axcess Scan.
According to the company, firms utilizing the solution have reduced K-1 processing times by as much as 91.7%.
Tasks that previously required hours of manual effort can now be completed in a fraction of the time, freeing professionals to focus on higher-value activities.
Customer feedback also points to broader benefits including:
- Increased operational efficiency
- Improved workflow consistency
- Enhanced scalability
- Greater capacity for client work
- Reduced administrative burden
- Increased confidence in AI-assisted processes
These measurable outcomes reinforce the practical value of integrating intelligence directly into firm workflows.
Building AI on a Foundation of Trust
As AI adoption accelerates across professional services, concerns regarding transparency, reliability, governance, and ethical use remain top priorities.
Wolters Kluwer emphasized throughout the conference that successful AI implementation requires more than technological sophistication.
Trust is essential.
The company’s Expert AI framework is designed around principles of transparency, professional oversight, and authoritative content.
By grounding AI capabilities in trusted professional resources and ensuring that human professionals remain in control of critical decisions, Wolters Kluwer aims to help firms adopt AI responsibly while maintaining compliance and quality standards.
This approach recognizes that AI should enhance professional expertise rather than replace it.
The innovations showcased at AICPA ENGAGE 2026 illustrate how tax and accounting technology is evolving from task automation toward intelligent workflow orchestration. As firms continue to navigate talent shortages, regulatory complexity, and growing client demands, solutions that combine trusted expertise with embedded AI capabilities are likely to play an increasingly important role.
Through its CCH Axcess platform and Expert AI technology, Wolters Kluwer is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation. By connecting data, workflows, documents, and professional knowledge within a unified cloud environment, the company is helping firms create new efficiencies, unlock capacity, strengthen service quality, and expand advisory opportunities.
As agentic AI becomes more deeply integrated into professional workflows, the tax and accounting profession may be entering a new era—one where intelligent systems work alongside professionals to deliver faster insights, better outcomes, and greater value for clients. The demonstrations at AICPA ENGAGE suggest that future is already beginning to take shape.
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