The QuickBooks Product Hot Seat: What’s Next for Accountants, AI and SMB Growth?

In a packed schedule at the 2026 Intuit QuickBooks Get Connected event in London, one fireside chat stood out for its energy and honesty: the Intuit Product Hotseat. 

Hosted by Nicki Savill, Partner and Head of Business Outsourcing at Moore Kingston Smith, the conversation with Adolfo Fernandez, VP of Product International at Intuit, focused on what really matters to accountants today — how technology, AI and platform thinking are reshaping the profession.

Rather than a product demo, this was a clear view into where QuickBooks is heading — and what that means for firms and their clients.

The key takeaway? In accountancy, the future will not be defined simply by technology itself, but by how we harness and utilise it alongside and through the lens of human intelligence.

The problem to solve: the “fragmentation tax”

At the heart of Adolfo’s perspective is a simple but critical challenge: complexity.

Today, many accounting firms and small businesses rely on a patchwork of disconnected tools — often between seven and 25 different applications — just to manage day-to-day operations.

“Small businesses and accounting firms are juggling between seven and 25 different applications just to run their business. That’s a drain on time, energy and patience.” Adolfo Fernandez, VP of Product International at Intuit

This creates what Adolfo describes as the “fragmentation tax”:

• Time lost switching between systems

• Disconnected data and limited visibility

• Delayed insights and slower decision-making

The impact is significant. Instead of focusing on growth and advisory, firms and clients are tied up in operational admin.

QuickBooks’ strategy is to remove that burden — bringing tools, data and workflows together into a connected platform where everything works seamlessly.

From rearview mirror to real-time guidance

Historically, accounting software has been designed to record what has already happened.

Adolfo’s vision is to fundamentally change that.

Rather than acting as a “rearview mirror”, QuickBooks is evolving into a system that provides forward-looking insight — helping businesses understand not just where they’ve been, but where they’re going, like a GPS. 

This shift is powered by a combination of:

• Automation to reduce manual tasks

• Real-time data to improve visibility

• AI-driven insights to support better decision-making

The result is a more proactive, predictive approach to financial management — enabling accountants to guide clients with greater confidence and clarity.

AI and human intelligence: working together

AI was a central theme throughout the session — and the message was clear: alone, AI isn’t the answer. 

Adolfo emphasised that while AI plays a critical role in improving efficiency and surfacing insights, it must be built on strong foundations and used alongside human expertise. This is artificial intelligence with a crucial element: human intelligence, or HI. 

Behind the scenes, Intuit has been investing heavily in core improvements – from bank feed accuracy to workflow performance – alongside its AI capabilities. QuickBooks’ approach combines:

• Automation to remove repetitive work

• Artificial intelligence to enhance insight and accuracy

• Human intelligence to provide judgement and context

This balance ensures that accountants remain at the centre of decision-making — with AI acting as an enabler, not a replacement.

At a product level, this means continued investment not just in new AI capabilities, but also in the fundamentals that matter most to users — reliability, performance, and accuracy across everyday workflows.

A platform built for accounting firms

One of the most significant developments discussed was the evolution of QuickBooks into a platform designed around the needs of accounting firms — not just individual client records.

The Intuit Accountant Suite represents a shift in how practices manage their work.

Instead of operating across separate client files, firms gain a centralised view of their entire portfolio — a true “command centre” that enables them to:

• View and manage all clients in one place

• Monitor workflows, deadlines and priorities

• Understand team capacity and allocation

• Identify issues earlier and act faster

This platform approach reduces complexity at scale and creates the visibility firms need to operate more efficiently.

Crucially, it also frees up time — allowing accountants to focus less on compliance processes and more on delivering higher-value advisory services:

• Strategic guidance 

• Identifying opportunities 

• Supporting client growth.

Making Tax Digital: a platform opportunity

Making Tax Digital (MTD) remains a key focus for the profession, and Adolfo positioned it as more than just a compliance requirement.

Instead, it represents a platform opportunity.

For many businesses — particularly sole traders — MTD will be their first experience of digital accounting. That creates a moment to establish better habits from the outset:

• Maintaining accurate, real-time records

• Staying on top of tax obligations

• Using software to improve financial visibility

QuickBooks is designed to support this transition, with tools that simplify compliance and reduce risk — including AI-powered checks that help ensure accuracy before submission.

By embedding these capabilities into the platform, MTD becomes less about ticking compliance boxes and more about enabling better financial management over time.

What this means for accountants

The core message from the session is clear: the future of accounting lies in connected platforms, not disconnected tools.

By reducing fragmentation and combining automation, AI and real-time data, QuickBooks is designed to help firms:

• Operate more efficiently at scale

• Deliver more proactive, insight-led advice

• Build stronger, more collaborative client relationships

At the same time, the role of the accountant becomes even more important.

While technology continues to evolve, the need for trusted human judgement remains constant — and increasingly valuable.

Looking ahead

As accounting firms adapt to changing client expectations, regulatory pressures and new technologies, the direction is clear.

• Fewer systems

• Better integration

• More visibility

QuickBooks’ focus on platform, performance and intelligence reflects that shift — helping firms move beyond compliance and towards a more strategic, advisory-led future.

Ready to get started with QuickBooks? Learn more about QuickBooks for accountants and discover how a connected platform can help you manage your practice, support your clients, and grow your firm.

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