There’s a paradox we hear often from audit and advisory leaders: Nearly every firm is excited about the potential of AI. But when it comes to action, most aren’t sure where to start.
And they’re not getting much help. There’s plenty of noise in the market from vendors telling firms they need to transform, but few are offering a credible answer to how. The frameworks, guidance, and benchmarks firms need to navigate AI adoption simply haven’t existed–until now.
This need is why we created the AI Maturity Framework (AMF). It’s the first of its kind in our industry: a practical, stage-based model built specifically for audit and advisory firms. It helps leaders assess the current state of their firm and understand what AI transformation actually looks like, from individual engagement tasks to firm-wide delivery models. Then it explains how to get there.
Moving Beyond Empty Calls to Action
The vendor landscape is crowded with calls to “embrace AI” and “transform your firm.” But the hard work of designing the future, like determining what roles might evolve, what workflows need to change, and what structure supports scale, has largely been avoided. Why? Because most tech vendors and solutions aren’t built for this profession. They don’t understand the nuance, and they would rather firms conform to them.
We took a different approach. The AMF is grounded in real firm workflows and years of practitioner feedback, and created by former auditors and tech experts together. It defines six levels of AI autonomy, from fully manual to fully Agentic AI-orchestrated engagements. But it’s not just a technology maturity model. It also lays out the operational, cultural, and talent shifts required at each stage with actionable steps attached. Instead of buzzwords and vague imperatives, we’ve provided an instruction manual.
Fieldguide is proud to be the first to offer this kind of clarity. And we believe that setting the course matters. Because transformation doesn’t happen through inspiration alone–it requires a map, a compass, and a partner who’s walked the path.
Progress Doesn’t Require Perfection
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that AI adoption has to be all or nothing. That a firm either jumps to full automation or risks falling behind.
The reality is much more practical, and much more promising. Transformation doesn’t have to be all-encompassing to be meaningful. In fact, the best-performing firms we work with start with automating document review, testing procedures, or request lists. Over time, they scale that automation into end-to-end workflows. Every step forward unlocks real gains: better margins, faster turnaround times, more time for judgment and client relationships.
The AMF was designed with this in mind. It breaks down the journey into manageable stages, removing analysis paralysis so firms can move at a pace that matches their priorities, capacity, and risk tolerance.
AI Transformation Is Also Change Management
One thing we’ve learned through hundreds of firm conversations: using the technology is the easy part.
The harder, more complicated part is the human one: making sure teams are prepared, motivated, and supported as their work evolves. That’s why the AMF includes not just technical stages, but also guidance for change management. It covers upskilling, role evolution, governance, and performance metrics that reinforce strategic behaviors over checklists.
We built this framework to support both the AI that accelerates work, and the professionals who guide, validate, and deliver insight. When firms invest in both, adoption sticks and value compounds.
More Than Technology. A True Partner in Change.
We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: Fieldguide is not just a software company. We’re a transformation partner.
Yes, our platform embeds agentic AI into every phase of the engagement lifecycle. Yes, we’re trusted by the Big Four and top 50 firms for security, reliability, and scale. But what sets us apart is how we walk with our customers through change. We co-design future-state workflows, support team enablement, and help firms adopt the AMF in a way that works for their structure, pace, and people, because we’ve lived and understand the work.
Technology may be the unlock. But the key is partnership.
The Future Is Human - Powered by AI
In the profession we serve, trust is everything. That’s why we believe the future isn’t about replacing professionals. It’s about equipping them to do more of what they do best.
The AMF reflects that belief. It’s not a vision of AI doing the work alone; it’s a model for how AI and human expertise combine to deliver higher-quality, higher-value services. It’s a framework for firms to scale, not by burning out their teams, but by empowering them.
If your firm is thinking about how to start with AI – or how to take your next step – we hope the AMF helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.
We’re proud to be building the future of the profession together.
Jin Chang
CEO & Co-Founder
Increasing trust with AI for audit and advisory firms.
