BILL AI in Action: Real Stories, Real Wins from an Accounting Firm
Q&A with BILL and Matthew May (originally posted on Bill.com)
What’s the biggest benefit of AI?
The biggest benefit is focusing human attention where it matters most. With so much data, AI-powered anomaly detection helps concentrate our team’s energy on exceptions and opportunities, preventing wasted time and delivering true value at scale for both accountants and clients. This shift is transformative – humans are supported to deliver more impact, not just more transactions.
What’s your philosophy on AI?
We handle some of the world’s most sensitive data, so our philosophy is always security-first. Rather than using generic AI tools, we trust solutions from vetted tech partners – like BILL, Intuit, and Xero – who’ve proven their security with our clients’ financial information. AI is an enabler, but only with guardrails and the right partnerships, augmenting expertise and trust.
What processes feel “smarter ” and which are still a work in progress?
Our onboarding is now systematic thanks to AI-generated summaries. Every client handoff uses standardized formats, created automatically from meeting notes and videos, so teams get all key points instantly. It’s put an end to sifting through hour-long recordings.
AI’s true potential in financial analysis is evolving. Language models are stronger with text than native financial data, so the big leap will come when models interpret the numbers with real business context, not just words.
What’s one major win and one challenge your firm has encountered with AI?
Major win:
Training our global team (especially those where English is a second language) with AI. AI enables real-time email translations and boosts confidence in cross-cultural communications. This small use case had an outsized impact on productivity and team unity.
Challenge:
The ease of accessing new AI tools in a 1,000-person firm means shadow IT and data security risks can grow fast. Change moves quickly – sometimes too fast – demanding relentless education and consistent policy reminders to keep information protected. Change management and pace of innovation are challenges, but we meet them with transparency and training.
Which BILL AI features or capabilities does your firm use most?
Anomaly detection stands out, such as identifying out-of-the-norm payments, sudden address changes, and duplicate transactions. These features help catch issues proactively – before cash leaves the building – rather than reactively catching them after the fact in financial statements. W-9 management also gets a nod for taming a common back-office headache.
Has BILL AI delivered a breakthrough result or solved a unique challenge for your firm?
The anomaly detection capability in BILL has been a game-changer, surfacing issues – like unusual payment patterns or address changes – before client funds are at risk. This lets us intervene early, transforming problem-solving from reactive to proactive.
How are you using AI agents?
We primarily use agents built by our tech partners – BILL and QuickBooks – ensuring client data security and compliance. Internally, we’ve dabbled with custom agents for simple tasks like job descriptions and social media, but client-facing agents always come from trusted partners. Experimentation is encouraged, but safeguards come first.
How has AI changed the way you deliver services?
AI-supplemented platforms keep shifting the “people, process, technology” equation. As technology improves, we adapt our model – reducing manual work and deepening advisory focus. This rate of change requires ongoing training, robust partnerships with tech vendors, and an openness to iterative change management across a large, distributed team.
What advice do you have for other firms?
Start small and use it personally before deploying it at work. Have team members use AI for planning a party or solving a simple problem at home. Let them get comfortable and curious, then gradually bring those use cases into client work. The key is to lower the fear, celebrate experimentation, and keep the conversation about practical value.
What new services or client approaches has AI made possible?
AI is pushing the threshold of who outsources accounting. As automation becomes more capable, companies with $2–$25M in revenue (not just small businesses) are outsourcing departments once thought “too big to outsource.”
AI is also laying the groundwork for more scenario planning and real-time insights. The next leap will be enterprise-grade outsourcing and predictive advisory for more mid-market clients.
What excites you most about AI's potential?
The real game-changer will be shifting away from legacy mindsets – like the billable hour – toward decisions made with data at every level. When AI becomes “invisible” and just part of how things run, firms like ours can give clients better, faster, and more actionable insights to support fast, informed decisions.