AI governance // EP18

Ep18: New Level, New Devil

AI in professional services firms (Part 1)

Plenty of professional services firms have answered the "which tool?" question. A platform is chosen, a policy is drafted, the team has started training. Then comes the next problem: five people building the same workflow, agents nobody owns, and partners who can't say with confidence how AI touched the work going out the door. In part one of a two-part series, Rod Fernandez turns the interview chair around and asks Kim what she's seeing inside accounting, legal and HR firms heading into the last quarter of 2026.

Based on AI Your Business Podcast2026-09-23

The short version

The workshop that gets a team excited about AI is where a new set of problems starts. In part one of two, Rod asks Kim what she's seeing inside accounting, legal and HR firms, and where the stall really sits.

Choosing a tool and drafting a policy isn't the finish line. Hear what comes next.
A human in the loop, or a human in the lead? The difference matters more than it sounds.
One actuarial firm has refused to touch AI at all. Is that really the safe option?

The questions on the table

  • Where does AI maturity stall in professional services, and why isn't it a technology problem?
  • Who owns an agent once its builder moves on?
  • When a client asks how AI touched their file, what do you say?

What clients are about to start asking

Australia's Privacy Act disclosure changes take effect on 10 December 2026. The episode covers the client question every firm needs a confident answer to before then, and the places automated decisions hide that most firms wouldn't think to check.

How AI Collab thinks about it

This is part one of two. It sets up the governance question that decides whether a firm gets past the stall, which is what the AI for Teams Toolkit and our governance work are built to produce. Part two continues the conversation.

Frequently asked questions

What does "new level, new devil" mean for AI adoption?
It's Kim's phrase for what happens after the easy wins. She explains it in part one of the series.
What is the difference between a human in the loop and a human in the lead?
It's a distinction Kim and Rod spend time on, and it changes how a firm stands behind its work. The episode explains it.
What do professional services firms need to answer before 10 December 2026?
Australia's Privacy Act disclosure changes take effect on 10 December 2026. The episode covers the client question every firm needs a confident answer to by then.

Want to turn this into a practical AI plan?

AI Collab helps established Australian businesses move from interest to implementation: strategy and team capability, plus governance and custom builds that fit how your business runs.

Talk to AI CollabListen to the episode