This episode is sponsored by Advancetrack, the go-to outsourcing and podsourcing specialists to help build capacity for your practice.

This week's accounting tech news is dominated by the rapid rise of Accounting AI agents! We take a first look at the US-based “Digits” platform and its AI-powered general ledger, which claims to auto-categorise up to 97% of transactions. We also explore Adsum's new 'Agent Mode' for data interrogation and automated reminders , and discuss how the profession is moving towards a future defined by these specialised AI agents.

Dave Norwell from FreeAgent joins us to tackle the very real challenge of client resistance to MTD for ITSA, sharing common patterns of denial and stressing the need for practices to create a proactive plan. We also round up the latest fintech news, including FYI's new team productivity and interim invoicing tools , a major integration between Active Workpapers and Alphatax for corporation tax , and Xero's new beneficial ownership compliance tool.

Finally, James Rose of Content Snare offers his perspective on the accounting tech scenes in Australia and the UK, comparing tech adoption rates and concluding that the UK is much further ahead than many believe.

00:00 Introduction and Event Highlights

04:17 Client Resistance to MTD - FreeAgent

App News 09:38 FYI Releases Team Productivity and Invoicing Tools 12:29 Gather Nexus Announces Integration with QuickBooks Online 17:09 Adsum Releases OpenTax Agent Mode in Beta 19:25 Active and Alphatax Announce Integration for Corporation Tax 22:45 Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Development 23:01 Roveel Partners with Tradebox for Enhanced E-commerce Reporting 24:40 Xero Releases New Beneficial Ownership Compliance Tool 29:33 A First Look at the New “Digits” Accounting Platform 35:37 How Agentic AI is Redefining the Future of Accounting

44:29 AU vs UK - Tech and Compliance Readiness - Content Snare 54:33 Outro

This week, the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast brings you front-row access to the biggest news in UK accounting tech! We're fresh from an "insane week" hosting the Digital Disruptor Awards and we're recapping all the winners and highlights from the must-attend event.

Then, in a special takeover episode, we hand the mic to FreeAgent for an exclusive review into their product roadmap and award-winning strategy. Staff Product Manager Stu McEwan joins us to pull back the curtain on:

Strategic Integrations: Why FreeAgent is moving away from a vast ecosystem to focus on selective, "best-in-class" partners in key verticals like practice management and accounts payable.

Award-Winning CIS Module: How listening to accountants shaped a flexible and easy-to-correct CIS solution for both contractors and subcontractors.

Practice Efficiency: A look at new tools like "Find and Fix" for bulk reclassifying transactions and enhanced dashboard controls for managing client tax information and permissions.

Serving Larger Clients: How features like enhanced Management Reports, budgeting, and upcoming Tracking Groups are expanding FreeAgent's capabilities beyond the micro-entity market.

A Pragmatic Approach to AI: Why FreeAgent is deliberately focusing on embedded machine learning rather than jumping on the generative AI hype, prioritising solutions that solve real customer problems.

Finally, James Rose from Content Snare joins us to discuss his realist take on AI in document collection, arguing why protecting the client experience must come before full automation.

Whether you're looking for the latest accounting tech news, insights from the Digital Disruptor Awards, or a strategic look into FreeAgent's future, this episode is unmissable.

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to the Digitals and the Cruel World Podcast 09:46 Digital Disruptor Award Win - FreeAgent Reaction ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 14:43 App News - FreeAgent Takeover 15:30 Introducing Stu McEwan 16:36 Approach to Integrations 21:04 FreeAgent Card?! 22:09 Practice Management 24:03 Why CIS? 26:35 Voice of the customer 30:00 Find and Fix 35:09 Management Reports 39:16 FreeAgent's Customer Focus 42:18 Tracking Groups 44:30 Release of the Year 46:30 Hot Topics: Payments and AI ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

54:26 Beyond the Hype: A Pragmatic Approach to AI - Content Snare 01:05:49 Enjoyed the pod? Leave a rating!

Ryan and Indi are back with your weekly dose of accounting tech news and fintech news, headlined by the launch of a new AI-native accounting platform set to challenge the established players - this episode sponsored by Content Snare.

The big story this week is the emergence of Artifact AI, an "agentic AI accountant" backed by a $4 million seed round from Andreessen Horowitz. Is this the beginning of the end for traditional ledgers? Ryan, who has been advising the company, shares his inside take on how these AI-native platforms are built from the ground up to automate workflows and disrupt the market.

The news roundup also covers AccountsIQ's move into non-financial metrics, major compliance updates from Bright and Inform Direct, and Zoho Books' competitive free plan for MTD ITSA.

We're also joined by Paul Sparkes from iplicit to discuss the power of integration, and why moving from a closed legacy system to a connected ecosystem is critical for the mid-market. Then, James Rose from Content Snare dives deep into security, exploring how to balance robust protection with a simple client experience that finally moves accountants away from insecure email exchanges.

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 07:00 From Closed Systems to Connected Solutions - iplicit

17:58 App News 18:03 Artifact AI Launches New Accounting Platform with $4M Seed Funding 22:21 AccountsIQ Unveils New Non-Financial Metrics Tracking Tool 25:31 Unleashed Enhances Platform with AI and Workflow Updates 27:44 Bright Continues Expansion with Acquisition of The Payroll Centre 30:18 Inform Direct Adds Identity Verification for ECCTA Compliance 31:58 Zoho Books Offers Free Software for MTD ITSA 33:52 Paradigm Launches Innovative Spreadsheet with AI in Every Cell

36:14 Beyond Email: How Content Snare is Revolutionising Secure Document Exchange 46:58 Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a rating!